Shop Local in Cartersville on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 24

Small Business Saturday is on Nov. 24 this year, two days after Thanksgiving. It is a day for everyone to support the small businesses that their community thrives on.

American Express founded the day in 2010 to help small businesses get exposure during the holiday season, when they might be otherwise overlooked. With retailers buzzing around the holidays, it is important to support local small businesses that rely on their neighbors in order to continue prospering and building the local economy in Cartersville.

"First and foremost, you­­ can just get such unique items from our local merchants.... You really can get things that you’re not going to get at the larger retailers," Downtown Development Authority Manager Tara Currier told The Daily Tribune News. "But beyond that, Cartersville’s overall economy depends on small businesses. We’ve got hundreds of them throughout the county who not only employ people, but they’re paying taxes and utilities, which goes back into our local economy. And all those tax dollars will stay in Cartersville and Bartow County."

With its Buy Bartow-Work Bartow campaign, the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce has been focusing on keeping dollars local, stimulating Bartow's economy and the creation of local jobs to be filled with local workers.

Buying local is important because , President and CEO Joe Frank Harris Jr. told Cartersville Patch in March. "You want to have a cycle where that money keeps turning over," he said. "I hope that when people see this, they feel guilty about going shopping in Cobb County."

Last year, 100 million people nationwide participated in Small Business Saturday by shopping at locally-owned stores to help boost the economy and their communities.

Places to shop small and local in Cartersville on Small Business Saturday include:

• Agan's Bakery
• c.a.n.o.p.y
• Findley's Butcher Shop
• Ideal Sports and Tackle
• Cartersville Pawn Shop
• Cohutta Fishing Company
• Blue Sky Outfitter
• Trends by Stiles, 14 W. Main St., Cartersville
• Lulu Boutique, 20 E. Church St., Cartersville
• Meg Pie
• Psycho Sisters
• Room Within
• Spring Place Pottery
• Write Downtown

Everyone has locally-owned businesses in their community, and shopping on Small Business Saturday is the perfect way to give back to the businesses you know and love in your community. "Like" Small Business Saturday on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/shopsmall.

TELL US: What small businesses do you patronize in Cartersville and what makes them great? Share in the comments below.