VW participates in Small Business Sat.

Van Wert independent

Many of Van Wert’s small businesses are participating in Small Business Saturday, an event founded by American Express in 2010 to help businesses with their most pressing need: getting more customers.

Held the Saturday after Thanksgiving (this Saturday), the event encourages local residents to support local businesses.

In Van Wert, Main Street Van Wert has encouraged a number of small businesses, including many in the downtown area, to participate in Small Business Saturday by providing special items, holding raffles and giveaways, and even providing free Shop Small merchandise, in some cases.

Downtown shoppers can also obtain a Shop Small Passport to track their purchases. Participating downtown businesses will stamp the passport for every purchase, and after three purchases, passports become a raffle ticket to win gifts and prizes donated by downtown merchants (turn in the passport at a participating merchant to enter).

A large of number of downtown merchants are participating in the event, including Perk’s, Once I Was, The Embroidery Coop, and McCoy’s Flowers, to name just a few.

The Bachwell on North Washington Street will also host local vendors, crafters and artisans on Saturday for fun shopping and gift-giving opportunities. There will be lots of handcrafted, homemade and one-of-a-kind items on sale, along with live piano music and refreshing massages, as well as free refreshments.

A number of local businesses are also offering special deals and sales today as part of the Black Friday celebration, although Early Bird shoppers likely will snap up most of those deals.