The nation’s busiest holiday shopping weekend kicks off Friday, and the Alaska Small Business Development Center is encouraging residents to spend locally. A record 186.9 million people are expected to shop between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation.
Small Business Saturday is an annual event held the Saturday after Thanksgiving that promotes spending at small, locally owned businesses. It was founded by American Express in 2010, and became cosponsored by the Small Business Administration in 2011.
Harley Hedlund is the director of marketing and communications for the Alaska Small Business Development Center in Anchorage. She said it’s a busy day for many businesses – and shoppers, around the country…