Small Business Saturday 2025 In Fairfield: See Sales, Deals

FAIRFIELD, CT — Saturday, Nov. 29, is a crucial day for independently owned local businesses in Fairfield. It’s Small Business Saturday, the kickoff to “shop small” events that emphasize the power of dollars spent in local communities.

Founded by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is sandwiched between the major Black Friday retail shopping holiday, which tends to favor national brands, and Cyber Monday, an online shopping event that this year takes place on Dec. 1.

In Fairfield, the Office of Community and Economic Development is encouraging residents and visitors to support local retailers, and will set up a welcome station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the Holiday Market at Greenfield Hill Commons, 75 Hillside Road.

The stakes for small businesses are higher than ever this holiday shopping season. They have faced increased operating costs, supply chain disruptions and overall market uncertainty. Unlike large big box retailers, they often lack the financial resources and operational flexibility to easily absorb increased costs.

The following Fairfield businesses are among those participating in this year's event:

• The Pantry
• Firehouse Deli
• Harry's Wines and Liquors
• Molto Restaurant
• Nordic Fish Market
• Hansen's Flower Shop
• Hemlock Hardware

"[Fairfield] is pleased to serve as a neighborhood champion for this event," said Mark Barnhart, the town's Director of Community and Economic Development, in a statement. "'Small Business Saturday' is a terrific opportunity to kick off the holiday season by remembering the small businesses that help make Fairfield special, and we would encourage all to 'Shop Small' throughout the year, but especially during this festive time of year."

Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $210 billion at small businesses across all 15 Small Business Saturdays combined.

There are 381,129 small businesses in Connecticut, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2025 state profiles.

That number represents 99.4 percent of Connecticut businesses, and they employ 726,097 workers, or nearly half of the state's employees at 48.1 percent.

Local businesses depend on increased sales in the last few months of the year to help them reach their revenue goals, and you’ll find plenty of in-store cheer and holiday happenings that will make the shopping experience fun.

Locally owned businesses recirculate a far greater percentage of revenue locally compared to absentee-owned businesses, according to the American Independent Business Alliance. Independents return about 48 percent of their revenues back into the local economy, compared to 14 percent returned to the local economy by chains.

Small businesses are typically defined by the federal government as those with fewer than 500 employees. They are responsible for about two of every three jobs since 1995, according to the Small Business Administration. Even a partial collapse of small businesses could weaken the overall U.S. economy.