In all, 108M people shopped or dined at local businesses.
As Small Business Saturday closed out its eighth year on Nov. 25, shoppers provided an encouraging boost to small businesses at the start to the holiday shopping season.
And in nine states, pet stores/groomers led the way, according to the 2017 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey from the National Federation of Independent Business and American Express.
Relative to the national average, shoppers in these states reported pet stores/groomers as the type of small business frequented the most: Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Utah and Vermont.
Shoppers in Illinois, Massachusetts and New York reported visiting a bakery the most; and shoppers in Georgia, Idaho and Texas reported visiting spas, nail salons or hair salons the most.
In all, an estimated 108 million consumers reported shopping or dining at local independently owned businesses.
“Year after year, Small Business Saturday receives remarkable support from shoppers and communities nationwide,” said Elizabeth Rutledge, executive vice president of global advertising and media at American Express. “In year eight, it’s encouraging to see Small Business Saturday continue to gain momentum as more people recognize the benefits that independently owned businesses bring to their neighborhoods — and our country as a whole.”