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Recognizing 15 Years of Small Business Saturday
PUBLISHED: December 2, 2025
In 2010, American Express supported small businesses by shining a light on them during a pivotal time of year—between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. During that period, buyers emptied their piggy banks in fear of missing out on deals offered by large retailers, while local small businesses were often forgotten in the process. To address this oversight, Small Business Saturday was born.
Recognizing American Express’s efforts, the Small Business Administration officially co-sponsored the day a year later. To show support for our local communities, the Office of Advocacy showcases some of our staff’s favorite small businesses.
AUTHOR:
Akira Loring and Office of Advocacy staff
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For Small Business Saturday, Geoff Grove, National Special Advisor, visited Ara Janigian, who owns Sonia’s Deli, with his sister Sevan. They have owned Sonia’s for 16 years, recently expanding from one location to three, and growing from two employees to 37. They import food and sundries. Their biggest pain point is access to capital. The “cost of freight” is driving up costs.
Celebrating Small Business Saturday with a visit to Grounded Coffee in Alexandria, Virginia.
Assistant Chief Counsel Janis Reyes and her kids stopped by to support Chef Sebastien and Carla, who have built a beloved Parisian-style café over the past three years.
Their flaky and buttery croissants always remind Reyes of her favorite mother-daughter adventure in Paris.
Small businesses like Grounded Coffee brew up the community spirit that enriches our neighborhoods every day.
Region 4 Advocate, Mike Vallante, visited the Cigar Box Guitar store and played a little cigar box guitar with Jeff and Tara Mello, the owners. Opened in 2010, the Tello’s bought the store in 2021 after building and selling cigar box guitars for the original store owners. Jeff, who was an engineer and wood maker by trade before becoming the owner, has put his skills to work by building guitars out of cigar boxes and establishing a successful business. Jeff remarks, “It’s more than just good business, having people come in and play guitar every Saturday morning for lessons, filling the 200+ year-old warehouse location with music, it brings joy to the community.”
The family-owned store also sponsors the largest running cigar box guitar festival, drawing hundreds of participants from around the country every year.
Assistant Chief Counsel Rosalyn Steward visited Boerio Studio in Columbus, Ohio. The Boerio Studio is a mother-daughter art studio creating bold contemporary florals, vibrant landscapes, and expressive wildlife pieces. “I make a point to stop by whenever I return to central Ohio, and I’ve collected several pieces over the years.” said Steward. During the visit, they talked about the reality of running a small studio. In other words, being a true jack-of-all-trades, juggling everything from creative work to inventory, finances, and marketing. Next time you’re on the hunt for new artwork, keep your local artists in mind—your walls will thank you for it!
Region 8 Advocate Trent Staggs visited MNT Christmas Tree. Established by Matt Shadle in 1984, MNT Christmas Tree has been serving residents of Utah for decades at its current location. Matt has drafted the entirety of his family into the business and has grown to two locations. His lots are supplied by trees largely from the Pacific Northwest and homegrown trees in Utah, securing an interest in tree farms that source the trees.
“I love the fact that this is such an iconic American business that supports our local communities. It is also a great activity for families to unite while selecting a tree and knowing they are making a real difference for small businesses across the country.” – Trent Staggs
Acting Region 5 Advocate Andrew Coffield visited The Taylored Cookie and Bakery, a staple in Portsmouth, Ohio. While the name has changed over the years, this bakery was originally started 118 years ago and has been proudly serving the Appalachia market ever since. Offering cookies, donuts, and pull-apart cinnamon rolls, these recipes have been passed down throughout the bakery’s existence.
Traci Wood, Management Assistant, went to Shafa Blends, which is a woman-owned and family-run tea and spice shop located in Rockville, Maryland.
The first thing you notice at Shafa Blends is the calm, not forced, but genuine kindness that comes when someone truly believes in what they’re doing. People who wake up and choose, again and again, to live healthier, clearer, kinder lives. Every blend is born from that same intention. They don’t just mix herbs; they listen to them. They consider what each plant has to offer, then craft small batches by hand, wrapping them like little gifts. When you talk to the people behind the counter, you get the same feeling: every question is heard, every recommendation comes from the heart.
Wood spoke with one of the owners, Darioush, and told him “I wanted to fall out of love with coffee and enjoy tea.” He responded with, “Coffee is a grab-and-go. Tea is for sipping and savoring.” I truly enjoyed my tea blend choice.
For Small Business Saturday, Region 7 Advocate Joe Krenzelok, visited Farros Lead Farm. This operation was started in 2012 by Emily and Elliot Farro, who are pictured with me below. Elliot is a veteran and started this business out of his home and has expanded to another building on his property. Both Emily and Elliot manufacture and sell firearms and ammo. They are based in Long Grove, Iowa. Emily and Elliot go out of their way to give back locally. They purchase backpacks filled with school supplies for families in need every year. They also host free shooting competitions for youth each year.
Their main pain point is the excise tax, which is an 11% tax on U.S. manufactured guns and ammo. This tax makes it harder to compete with foreign brands. They ended the meeting on a good note. The tariffs imposed by POTUS are balancing the market and making US brands more competitive as far as price.
Director of Economic Research Pat Delehanty visited Idlewild, a clothing and lifestyle store in Cincinnati, OH’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. He met with owner Tessa Clark, who shared her story as a small-business owner in Cincinnati, opening the store in 2015 and expanding her operations by opening a new concept store next door this year, showcasing artful accessories. Idlewild is a prominent store in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati’s up-and-coming art district, and Tessa has been a leader in reviving the area.
On Small Business Saturday, Director of Interagency Affairs Stephanie Fekete went to Plaza Mexico, a small Mexican restaurant in North Beach, Maryland. She enjoyed delicious chips with salsa, queso, and freshly made table-side guacamole, generous servings of margaritas, and tacos. It is her family’s favorite restaurant in their small town, and the place was packed!
With the holidays around the corner and everyone ready to shop, Advocacy welcomed the opportunity to shop small and shop locally. Every business has a story, and every story has obstacles to overcome. The Office of Advocacy connected with small business owners and learned what makes their businesses unique. A common trait they share is knowing their customers, with personalized greetings and conversations that feel more like a warm hug than a stiff handshake. Advocacy hopes to see continued success for these small local businesses and looks forward to visiting them again soon.
With 34,752,434 small businesses in the United States, supporting your local small business helps strengthen the economy. Remember to shop small this holiday season.