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By Pat Toomey and Kevin Shivers
In Murrysville, not far from Pittsburgh, the owner of a small window company buys the uniforms for the local cheerleading squad and softball team.
Sure, it is good advertising but it's also being a good member of the community. That's why he donates directly to other teams too.
That same business owner chaired a local walk for juvenile diabetes, getting donations from 50 other local businesses. These small businesses are supported by all of us throughout Pennsylvania.
If you can, we heartily encourage you to visit the small shops, family-owned businesses, and restaurants in your Pennsylvania hometown on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28.
It will help our state's economy, workers and, who knows, you will probably find that perfect gift.
Shopping locally and supporting small business really does reap rewards - and not just softball uniforms.
One perk of shopping locally is that a good portion of what you spend goes right back into your own community. The store owner and their family spend much of their income right in town. And shop owners on every Main Street in Pennsylvania are often the biggest supporters of local charities, school teams, and events.
Eighty-eight million Americans shopped at locally owned retailers on Small Business Saturday in 2014, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.
NFIB's Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey found shoppers spent $162 on average that day, a 14-percent increase from the year before.
Coming out for Small Business Saturday in 2015 will help local businesses in your town grow and hire additional people. The Small Business Administration says small businesses employ about half of all Pennsylvanians and make up 98% of all employers in the Commonwealth.
If someone on your holiday shopping list is hard to please, mom and pop shops often carry one-of-a-kind gifts.
At an antique shop in Montoursville you can buy a civil war officer's sword, see old photos of the original owner, and learn the history from the store owner. The second generation owner of a gift shop in Jim Thorpe says she searches for unique and locally handmade artisan crafts.
She loves working with customers to find just what they want. Knowledgeable owners and clerks and good customer service are critical to small businesses which thrive on repeat customers. That's why an independent hardware store in Duncansville helps customers assemble their purchases for free.
When you receive flyers for Black Friday or see pop-up ads for Cyber Monday this year, don't forget there are also plenty of sales and bargains around the corner on Main Street in your home town.
And those purchases can bring unexpected rewards.
Pat Toomey, a Republican, is one of Pennsylvania's U.S. Senators. Kevin Shivers is the Harrisburg lobbyist for the Pennsylvania branch of the National Federation of Independent Businesses.