This information is provided courtesy of 28th District and medical doctor Joey Hensley R-Hohenwald, who represents Giles and five other area counties.
Thanksgiving is truly a special holiday. Although it did not become official until declared by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, Americans have been celebrating this holiday for 232 years.
It has evolved to include family reunions, football and parades, but the heart of the holiday still remains acknowledgement to God for his bountiful blessings on our lives and the precious gift of gathering with friends and family to celebrate it.
Thanksgiving is also informally acknowledged as the official opening to the holiday season as shoppers prepare for Christmas. Never has it been more important to support our local businesses by shopping local and shopping small.
During the Coronavirus pandemic, local small businesses have been hit harder than their corporate counterparts. These businesses have struggled since the 2020 shutdown to compete with consumer behavior trends towards online shopping.
Small businesses depend on our communities, and our communities depend on them. The annual Small Business Saturday is set for Nov. 27. They are the lifeline of Main Street USA and, most importantly, of our legislative district’s economy.
Let’s support them as we plan our holiday purchases.
Small businesses are responsible for generating and providing a significant portion of jobs. That is why they are often referred to as the backbone of our economy.
In Tennessee, they employ about half of all private sector employees. two of three new net private sector jobs are created by small businesses.
We take pride in our reputation as a business-friendly state that encourages entrepreneurialism and small business success.
It is very important that we support local businesses and show our appreciation for their value to our communities. Remember, every time we spend money with them it helps to support a family member, a friend, or a neighbor. Those dollars are then reinvested into our community time and time again.
If you’ve become accustomed to shopping online, check to see if your local small businesses are fulfilling online or pick-up orders. Many have adjusted to provide customers with more options to shop.
In addition to shopping small, there are other ways to support small businesses. If you had a great experience at a small business, write a review online, tell a friend, or post about the business on social media. By taking these actions, you can help raise awareness and credibility for deserving local businesses.
Nearly seven in 10 small businesses see the winter holiday season as the highest sales opportunity for their business.
Let’s patron these small businesses as they have been a big asset to our communities. Please join in shopping small and shopping local on Nov. 27 and every day.
We live in a great country and state that has afforded us many opportunities for which we can be grateful this holiday season.
Let me wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Hensley may be reached at 425 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Suite 742, Nashville Tenn., 37243; or by calling 615-741-3100, or toll free 1-800-449-8366 ext. 13100 or by faximg 615-253-0231. His district address is 855 Summertown Highway,Hohenwald Ten., 38462, and his telephone number is 931-796-2018, his cell phone is 931-212-8823 and E-mail: sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov