Local businesses fill Crowne Plaza for Small Business Saturday

November 24, 2018 6:18 pm

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@APittsABC6

WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — Over 100 local businesses gathered in Warwick Saturday for Small Business Saturday.

This year’s event was held by the Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council, along with the Veterans Business Outreach Center and the Center for Women and Enterprise.

Organizers said they wanted to make shopping easier by putting all of the businesses under one roof at the Crowne Plaza, in hopes that it would encourage more Rhode Islanders to shop local.

“Ninety percent of the businesses in Rhode Island are small businesses, and so that represents a huge majority of people throughout the state … and in order for them to be successful, people need to support them,” said Sue Babin, co-chair of Shop RI’s Small Business Saturday.

Officials say small businesses employ half of Rhode Island workers, and $.69 of every dollar spent in those shops, stays in the local community.

Last year’s Small Business Saturday event drew nearly 1,500 people.