The days following Thanksgiving are busy shopping days for Christmas presents and today one organization in Jefferson is encouraging everyone to look local first.

Jefferson Matters Executive Director Matt Wetrich says today is Small Business Saturday and it’s a time to highlight those retailers and other businesses that are locally owned and operated to support them during the holiday season and find some unique things that you cannot find anywhere else. He explains another reason why people should always shop local first.

“These are the folks that are supporting our kids here, they support BOOST (Bringing Opportunities and Optimism to Students and Teachers of Greene County Schools), they support the (Jefferson) Rotary (Charity) Auction, they support things that are supporting our community. So it’s important to think about what it means to try and find what you need locally before we venture elsewhere.”   

Wetrich adds that there are typically specials that can be found during this time of year as well. He says the fourth quarter is especially important for local businesses to help get them through the slower time of the year that happens starting in January.