Merchants around Vermont are hoping for a good turnout next weekend for what’s being called "Small Business Saturday."
The day after Thanksgiving has come to be known as "Black Friday," because it’s the traditional start to the holiday shopping season and the day when many retailers get into the black – making a profit – for the year.
Now the National Federation of Independent Business is among the groups hoping that after mobbing the malls on Friday, shoppers will turn their attention to Main Street on Saturday.
The head of the NFIB’s Vermont chapter, Shawn Shouldice, says it’s the smaller merchants in the state’s downtowns who often take a big role in supporting school and civic events.