By Sara Milano | [email protected]

The Millcreek City Council introduced a proclamation at their Nov. 14 meeting designating the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday. The proclamation is to celebrate “our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community.”

The proclamation states that small businesses “are responsible for 62% of net new jobs created since 1995 and they employ 46.8% of employees in the private sector.”

The idea of Small Business Saturday was conceived of in 2010 by American Express as “a day dedicated to supporting the diverse range of local businesses that help create jobs, boost the economy, and keep communities thriving across the country,” according to their Shop Small campaign.

The day falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and was introduced during the height of the recession to support struggling small businesses. As Americans in 2022 head into the holiday shopping season, they are once again feeling the strain of inflated prices and economic uncertainty.

Self-employed workers and small business owners in particular are feeling this pressure. According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, thirty-one percent of small business owners are still experiencing supply chain disruptions in the wake of COVID-19 and 33% of owners report inflation as their biggest problem in running their business. 

Earlier this year, Verizon rated Millcreek as the fourth best small city in the United States to start a small business, describing it as great for people who “don’t care for big city living but still want to be close to all the action.”

Millcreek residents who want to support their local businesses and economy with their holiday shopping this year have plenty of options. The Other Side is a nonprofit foundation that “addresses the problems of homelessness, criminal behavior and long-term addiction” by offering a long-term residential life skills program for local residents. They secure funding by operating a thrift boutique by the same name that offers gently used furniture, clothes, housewares and more.

For those who enjoy a cup of coffee and warm breakfast during the colder seasons, Greenhouse Effect describes itself as a “funky, laid-back coffee shop offering sweet and savory crepes, plus outdoor seating.” For those seeking comfort food, Charlotte Rose’s Carolina BBQ offers delicious southern food that “no dietician, nutritionist, or novice health aficionado” would recommend, according to their website.

Millcreek has scores of other options for those looking to spend at small businesses, with upwards of 92% of all businesses in Salt Lake City classified as “small,” according to ABC4. “Our Millcreek city government celebrates local businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy,” said Mayor Jeff Silvestrini in his proclamation.