Big Apple shoppers have Black Friday, but Riverside County locals have their own post-Thanksgiving ritual with a personal touch: Small Business Saturday. On November 25, the sunny cali county is rolling out the welcome mats at its plethora of local shops, urging community members to invest their green in the grassroots economy—a move inspiring civic pride and financial uplift, as per the County of Riverside.

Earlier this week, the County Admin Center transformed into a vibrant marketplace, an aromatic and stylish collection of scented candles, jewelry, and knitted goods adorning the first floor. Riverside workers and local residents alike swarmed in to snap up goods from neighborhood vendors—a win-win as part of the proceeds funneled towards the county’s employee giving campaign, which supports area nonprofits and is a demonstration of community spirit and resourcefulness in equal measure, Assistant Auditor-Controller Tanya Harris was quoted as saying in the official county news release.

Small Business Saturday casts these homegrown enterprises into the limelight, championing the 96.4% of Riverside County small businesses that fuel its local markets and culture. "Our local businesses are the heart and soul of Riverside County," First District Supervisor and Board Chair Kevin Jeffries declared, underscoring the vital role these operations play in the region's livelihood. With such a significant chunk of businesses being small-scale, their power is undeniable, tallying up to $11 million in quarterly payroll and driving economic diversity and development.

Riverside County beckons its citizens to shirk the retail giants this weekend, encouraging a shift toward the local wonders of its own entrepreneurial landscape. To tap into this community-sustained movement or for more intel on small business resources, Riverside residents can make tracks to the Office of Economic Development website or play dial-a-discovery at 951.955.8916.