Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo is encouraging consumers to patronize community retailers as the holiday shopping season gets under way.
The Mercer County Democrat suggests that customers spend "Small Business Saturday" shopping locally. Small Business Saturday is the day after Black Friday and two days before Cyber Monday.
DeAngelo says the support helps small businesses stay in business in a tough economy.
The Small Business Administration estimates there are nearly 780,000 small businesses in New Jersey.
Though shoppers usually gravitate toward big-box stores that have launched heavy advertising campaigns aimed at holiday bargain-hunters, DeAngelo says shoppers should remember that stores close to home also have quality goods at affordable prices.
