Support Your Favorite Small Business With a Patch Shout-Out

Whether it's a steaming slice of pizza for lunch, the nuts and bolts for a home improvement project, the perfect hostess gift for the dinner party you're headed to or a hot cup of coffee on your way to work, the goods and services provided by the small businesses of Bedford and Katonah often offer just what you need on any given day.

Now, you might be the type who finds sleeping on a freezing sidewalk for the best Black Friday deals exciting. And if you plan to head out to some big-box stores early in the morning then, we've got a guide for you.

But on Saturday, there's a movement afoot that encourages shoppers to bypass the mega-malls for Main Street.

It's called Small Business Saturday, and it was conceived by American Express to help spotlight the efforts of local small businesses at the beginning of the big holiday shopping sprint.

Several local merchants are participating. Natasha Tarasov, of the , said she loves the idea of a day set aside for small businesses. "It gets people thinking about shopping locally," she said. She plans to offer $20 off purchases of $100 or more.

Diana Tyler, co-proprietor of , said they plan to offer surprise discounts at the register. Shoppers will pull a number from a basket revealing discounts for 5 to 20 percent off purchases.

Bedford-Katonah Patch would love to hear which small businesses you can't live without. Tell us in the comments which independently owned business is a must for shoppers this Saturday and why.

Your shout-out could help a sector of our economy that has created 65 percent of the net new jobs over the last 17 years.   

Is it a manicure at or A sandwich from the , or Fresh produce from or a hair cut at

In honor of Small Business Saturday and Thanksgiving, post your thank you to your favorite shops and merchants below.