Small Business Saturday 2025 In Rhode Island: See Sales, Deals

Saturday, Nov. 29, is a crucial day for independently owned local businesses in Rhode Island. 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.

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.

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The following local businesses are participating in this year's event:

The provisioner new york deli and cafe in North Kingtown, the Savory Grape liquor store in East Greenwich and florist Flowers By Bert Peg in North Kingstown.

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

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There are 116,149 small businesses in Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2025 state profiles.

The businesses include restaurants Blu on the Water in East Greenwich and children's clothing store Teddy Bearskins in North Kingstown.

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.

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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% 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.

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