Celebrate National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day Every March 29
Small, local businesses–often called Mom & Pop businesses–were once the cornerstone of any town.
These shops were gathering places and the owners knew all (or at least many) of their customers personally. You could count on great customer service.
National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day celebrates the people who still keep that entrepreneurial spirit alive.
And that can be hard when the big chains have lower prices and everything under one roof. You can get your shopping all done in one place.
Why would anyone go to several small stores that sell only one or a few things each? That’s certainly not efficient!
Maybe because the one thing the big box stores usually can’t do better than the mom & pop stores is customer service.
At these little shops where every customer is important, the employees (who are often either the owners or the owners’ family members) make you feel special.
- You get personal service.
- They go out of their way to help you get just what you need.
- Real, live people answer their phones.
- And because they specialize in one or just a few niche products or services, they actually know what they’re talking about!
They’re job creators too. Small businesses create more than half of all the new jobs in the United States.
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficial but worthwhile holiday.
Celebrating National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day
The best way to celebrate is to shop at locally owned businesses near you. Bypass the chains today and support the people working hard to keep their small businesses running.
Yes, that’s easier in some areas than others. But if you have the option, why not at least stop in to that family-owned store you pass every day but never think much about? You might just find it’s exactly what you’re looking for!
- Skip the Starbucks and try the local coffee shop.
- Drive past the Walmart and stop in to your local grocer or pharmacy.
- Say no to the chain fast food shops and get your lunch just as fast (but better) at a food truck.
- Get your dessert at a local ice cream store. (Yes, they do still exist, even if you have to look harder for them).
Don’t have local mom & pop stores (or at least not ones selling what you’re trying to buy)? The internet lets even small operators have a national reach. For example, many Etsy sellers are independent craftspeople running a small business that just happens to be online.
And with your help, some of those little stores might even be able to make it big one day.
You may not realize it, but big recognizable names like Ben & Jerry’s, Subway and Burt’s Bees all started as small businesses.
[…] National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day: Today we support the mom & pop stores that help make your community feel a little more friendly. Where possible, hop at small, locally owned businesses today. […]
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