Holiday shoppers will have a chance to get a head start on the yuletide shopping rush with the return of Small Business Saturday throughout Dane County on Nov. 28.
An initiative of Shop Small Dane County, the local Small Business Saturday is designed to help residents support independent businesses on the first weekend between Thanksgiving and the holiday season.
Even with economic headwinds that include stubbornly high inflation, retail holiday sales are expected to top $1 trillion in 2026, according to the National Retail Federation.
Colin Murray, owner of Kylee’s Gift Cottage in Middleton and former executive director of Dane Buy Local, is helping coordinate the Small Business Saturday initiative.
He serves as a designated Neighborhood Champion through the Small Business Saturday program, which was founded by American Express in 2010.
To help connect shoppers with participating businesses, Murray developed a website featuring local businesses who have committed to participating in the 2026 Small Business Saturday program.
“Small Business Saturday is about much more than a single day of shopping,” Murray said in a press release. “It’s about recognizing the important role locally owned businesses play in our communities.
“These are the businesses which create jobs, support local nonprofits, sponsor neighborhood events, and help make Dane County a special place to live,” Murray said. “When we choose to shop locally, we’re investing in our own community.”
