It’s especially important this year for people to shop small on Small Business Saturday, says National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Alabama State Director Rosemary Elebash.

A release outlined that Alabamians can do so in person, online or over the phone.

Small Business Saturday, as it is annually, is this coming Saturday, the one immediately following Thanksgiving. However, this year’s Small Business Saturday may be the most important one ever, as hardworking small business owners and employees continue to be hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The coronavirus is taking a toll on Alabama’s small businesses,” Elebash stated. “Governor Ivey has gradually eased many of the restrictions put in place to keep customers and employees safe, but small business owners say it may be months, perhaps years, before the local economy fully recovers from the pandemic.”

“Small business is the backbone of our economy, making up 99.4 percent of all employers in the state. And while it makes headlines whenever a big corporation adds a few hundred jobs here or there, small businesses are responsible for a net increase of 23,841 jobs statewide in 2019,” she continued.

Small Business Saturday 2020 comes as a coalition led by the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) — and including NFIB Alabama — continues to undertake the Keep Alabama Open campaign.

“Our small businesses were doing well at the beginning of the year,” Elebash added. “Since spring, however, many people have lost their jobs or had their hours greatly reduced, while employers have had to learn new safety procedures and invest in additional equipment from hand sanitizer stations and face masks to plastic shields at the checkout. Some small businesses intended to close temporarily and wound up closing for good.”

“That’s why we need to make a point of supporting local shops and restaurants, not just on Small Business Saturday but throughout the holiday shopping season,” she explained. “If you can’t visit them in person, then order online or place your order by phone and take advantage of local delivery or curbside pickup. Or, buy gift cards that you can redeem once the crisis is over.”

“Alabama’s economy is built on its small businesses,” Elebash concluded. “Without our support, we could lose them, and that would be bad for everyone.”

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Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn