HONOLULU (KHON2) — Everybody talks about Black Friday when it comes to holiday shopping, but an equally, if not more, important holiday comes the following day: Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is all about supporting the mom-and-pop (or aunty-and-unko) shops that are the backbone of the islands’ communities and economy.

While shopping local is something that is often discussed in local spaces, small businesses may be moved to the backburner in people’s minds during the holiday season.

Sherry Menor, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi, said that patronizing small businesses makes a large impact on the local community.

“Now more than ever it is so critically important to support local. From the pandemic to the Maui wildfires to now the uncertainty of our business climate and the environment, as related to the tariffs, what’s happening on the national and international landscape, it’s important to support our local companies,” Menor said. “It ensures that we can keep their doors open.”

Helping these local businesses profit don’t just help support the business owners either — countless working-class locals are employed by small businesses, and by shopping at these stores you’re helping support local workers.

“When you support local, it may be a retail, but you’re also supporting their workforce. You’re supporting all the products that they’re selling, the made in Hawaiʻi products,” Menor said.

Menor added that supporting local on Small Business Saturday — and any other day — also emphasizes a sense of pride for our island communities.

“Let’s be proud of what’s made in Hawaiʻi. Let’s be proud that we have local retailers, restauranteurs. Because that’s what makes Hawaiʻi,” she said. “It’s the small business community that’s the fabric of our community. So let’s see how we can continue to support that effort.”

Shopping local is also a way to put your money back into our community, with the holiday season being a significant time period for economic contribution.

Revenue for the local business community jumps approximately 20 to 30 percent during the holiday shopping craze, which benefits our economy, Menor said.

Additionally, Small Business Saturday doesn’t have to just be about retail shops selling clothes or other goods — it’s a bit more expansive than that.

“While you’re out buying gifts, think about the restaurants as well, our local restaurants,” Menor said. “That’s something that we should be proud about in Hawaiʻi, entrepreneurship and how there’s so many talented individuals who are starting their own businesses and putting their businesses on the map.”

Can’t make it to your favorite small business on Small Business Saturday? Don’t fret — many small businesses have online presences and virtual shops, Menor said.

Beyond Small Business Saturday, Menor said it’s always important to honor our small shops regardless of what day of the year it is. Small Business Saturday is just an added bonus.

“Now more than ever, we need to support local businesses. We see the rising cost of doing business,” Menor said. “We see the rising cost of living. And if we can support our local economy, that will help us move forward during these very, very turbulent times, very uncertain times and very unpredictable times.”

See the interview here.