This Saturday you are encouraged to Shop Small Businesses and keep some money local. There are great deals at the major stores on Black Friday, and Cyber Monday you can take advantage of some wonderful online purchases, but nothing is like the local shops, stores and products you can buy in Duluth.

The idea was first introduced by American Express (probably a ploy to make more money somehow) but the idea caught on and many local towns and cities and adopted the idea to help flourish the locally owned stores, to discover products you might not know existed in your own back yard.

Shopping locally helps keep our money in our community. It helps employ our family, our neighbors, and our friends. It helps keep their doors open so they’re able to serve our tourists. You may save money by not shopping locally, but small business owners go above and beyond in customer service, something that can be worth more that a couple extra dollars in your pocket in the long run.

Small business owners also have a huge impact in the community. Think of how many benefits, fundraisers, and events that you’ve been to, been a part of, or heard about. Now think about how many times you’ve seen that it’s the small local businesses that support these functions. They put money, products, and services back into the community they live in.

More than 30 businesses will be offering special promotions on November 30th—from open houses and merchandise discounts to free classes and demonstrations, you can find it all in the Downtown Waterfront. 

New to the downtown this holiday season - you will also find 11 Pop-Up Retailers helping to energize our downtown.  Visit your favorite stores and explore new ones!

So visit the shops downtown, Fitgers, and Canal park. There will be free two hour parking at the meters, and ask the businesses with decorated windows how to win prizes. (That's another thing to look at!) Downtown owners have decorated their windows for Christmas and you can vote on your favorite.

Click Here for a complete list to print out and the specials they feature.

Click Here for the complet Pop Up List

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