WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Ranking Member Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today encouraged Americans to join her in celebrating “Small Business Saturday” on November 27, an initiative is designed to boost sales at small, local, independently owned businesses across America.

“I often tour Main Streets in cities and towns across Maine to speak directly with local business owners, and they have told me repeatedly that they rely on increased sales to grow their businesses and create new jobs,” said Senator Snowe.  “Small Business Saturday provides an ideal opportunity to support our local retailers, who are the economic backbone of our communities.  While we work at the federal level to create a climate of economic certainty in which our local businesses can thrive and prosper, our day-to-day patronage of their goods and services is vital to their short and long term sustainability.”

Respondents to the National Federation of Independent Business’ (NFIB) Small Business Economic Trends survey have listed “poor sales” as the “single most important problem” for their businesses each month since the September 2008 report.  As such, projects like “Small Business Saturday” are critical to raising the profile of American small businesses during one of the nation’s most prolific shopping periods, potentially resulting in an uptick in sales for these firms.