Support local businesses and Shop Small this holiday season

WEDC officials will visit locally owned businesses

MADISON, WI. NOV. 20, 2025 – This holiday season, Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) are urging everyone to shop at the small businesses around Wisconsin that help make our communities more vibrant and our state more prosperous.

Gov. Evers has proclaimed Nov. 29 through Dec. 31 as “Shop Small Season.”

“Small businesses are the heart of our downtowns and communities. They attract both visitors and residents and create a vibrant space where people want to get together,” said WEDC Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Sam Rikkers. “The holiday season is an important time of year for consumers to support these small businesses, because the weeks leading up to the holidays are often the time of year when these businesses see the biggest financial impact.”

Rikkers will kick off Shop Small Season on Friday by visiting downtown Cassville and Gays Mills, where he will also learn about the village’s efforts to create a community gathering place through its participation in WEDC’s Thrive Rural Program.

Through the next several weeks, Rikkers will be visiting other communities to Shop Small and emphasize the importance of supporting local businesses, including:

• On Nov. 25, Rikkers will visit several downtown businesses in Mount Horeb and Sauk City.
• On Nov. 29—also known as Shop Small Saturday—Rikkers will shop in Monroe and New Glarus.

Other Shop Small events are planned in December in the communities of Bonduel, Peshtigo, Madison, Door County, and Eau Claire.

Shopping locally during the holiday season is “an opportunity for residents and visitors to discover new shops, revisit long-time favorites, and experience the warmth and personal service small businesses are known for,” said Tywana German, executive director of the Sauk Prairie Chamber of Commerce. “The energy is uplifting, and it reminds us how strong and supportive our community truly is.”

Studies have shown that for every $100 spent at a local business, $68 typically stays in the community, while only $43 remains when spent at a national chain store.

“For a yarn shop like mine, those purchases help sustain regional shepherds, small-batch dyers, and independent makers who rely on community support,” said Angela O’Connell, owner of Flaxen Fleece in Sauk City.

“Local businesses shape the character of a town,” she continues. “They create welcoming spaces, sponsor events, collaborate with other small businesses, and reinvest in the neighborhood. When consumers choose to shop locally, they help ensure that their community remains strong, diverse, and full of life.”