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Both Southampton County and the city of Franklin worked with Franklin Southampton Economic Development Inc. to recognize Saturday, Nov. 30, as Small Business Saturday for 2024, aiming to encourage people in the community to shop local this holiday season.

The Southampton County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on Nov. 19 to adopt a resolution recognizing the day, and the Franklin City Council voted 6-0 on Monday, Nov. 25, to adopt a proclamation with matching language, aside from the locality references.

At the Nov. 19 board meeting, FSEDI President and CEO Karl Heck said, “Small Business Saturday is an annual event that was started by American Express that provides an opportunity to promote small businesses in our community and communities across the United States. FSEDI has been a neighborhood champion of Small Business Saturday pretty much since it started. 

“We do advertising to promote the small businesses in Southampton County and get people to shop as part of the shopping weekend that includes Black Friday and the other days after that,” he added.

He read the resolution, the Board of Supervisors adopted it, and then he later added, “Especially this year, we’ll mention that we will be out at various businesses, and we are promoting the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas season as very short this year, so people are out doing shopping. Thanksgiving is as late as it can be, and then Christmas is mid-week, so things will be compressed.”

Franklin Ward 3 Councilman Gregory McLemore read the Small Business Saturday Proclamation at the City Council’s Nov. 25 meeting moments before the 6-0 vote to adopt it.

Heck said, “We’re looking forward to another excellent Small Business Saturday and a good holiday season for all the local merchants. So thank you for your support.”

Adapted to reference both localities, the county’s resolution and the city’s proclamation read as follows:

“Whereas, the governments of Southampton County, Virginia, and the city of Franklin, Virginia, celebrate our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community; and

“Whereas, according to the United States Small Business Administration, there are more than 33 million small businesses in the United States, small businesses represent 99.7% of firms with paid employees, small businesses are responsible for 62% of net new jobs created since 1995, and small businesses employ 46.8% of the employees in the private sector in the United States; and

“Whereas, 79% of consumers understand the importance of supporting the small businesses in

their community on Small Business Saturday®, 70% report the day makes them want to encourage others to Shop Small®, independently owned retailers, and 66% report that the day makes them want to Shop Small all year long; and

“Whereas, 58% of shoppers reported they shopped online with a small business and 55%

reported they dined or ordered takeout from a small restaurant, bar or café on Small Business

Saturday in 2023; and

“Whereas, Southampton County and the city of Franklin support our local businesses that create jobs, boost our local economy and preserve our communities; and

“Whereas, advocacy groups — as well as public and private organizations — across the country have endorsed the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday;

“Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Southampton County Board of Supervisors, Franklin Mayor Robert “Bobby” Cutchins and the members of the City of Franklin Council, urge the residents of our community, and communities across the country, to support small businesses and merchants on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.

“Further, let it be resolved that, the Southampton County Board of Supervisors and Robert “Bobby” Cutchins, mayor of the city of Franklin, Virginia, do hereby proclaim Nov. 30, 2024, as Small Business Saturday.”