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Top Small Business Saturday Shopping In Philadelphia

The Saturday following Thanksgiving was dubbed as "Small Business Saturday" by American Express in 2010 and is a reminder to support your local smaller businesses for your holiday shopping needs, and not just the "big guys", as is typical for the day before (Black Friday). For 2015, Small Business Saturday will be November 28. Some stores will offer incentives and sales as the big day draws near. Here are 5 popular places to visit in Philly to show your support for their small business.

Big Blue Marble Bookstore
551 Carpenter Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19119
(215)844-1870
www.bigbluemarblebooks.com

Books are a wonderful gift for nearly anyone because you have such a wide variety of choices. Whether the person you are buying for loves to read fiction, is just into humor, pop culture or wants to learn how to take part in a new hobby, a book on a topic that interests them always makes a great gift. Big Blue Marble Bookstore is a very community-driven business. They have regular events for kids such as story time, poetry readings, book clubs and meetings with authors. They also allow local clubs to use their bonus rooms for local events; this is a good business to visit for Small Business Saturday to thank them for their support of the community.

Painted Bride Art Center
230 Vine St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 925-9914
www.paintedbride.org

When you are unsure what to get someone on your list who is on the artistic side and don't want to give them a gift card, consider the Painted Bride Art Center. This business showcases a variety of one-of-a-kind pieces of art which you can purchase as a gift. One of their main products is beautiful pieces of hand blown glass. The center has been in Philadelphia for over 40 years and provides "a laboratory" for artists and art lovers alike.

Beekman's Copa Soaps
438 E. Girard Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 426-5594
www.copasoaps.com

If you have someone on your list who appreciates the value of aroma therapy, or just makes part of their time in the bath into relaxation time, you may want to stop in to Beekman's Copa Soaps. This company focuses on cold processed all natural soaps with all natural ingredients. They also feature aroma therapy essential oils. The products are created in their location right in center city Philadelphia.

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Out There Outfitters
123 N. Wayne Ave.
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 688-6383
www.outthereoutfitters.com

Out There Outfitters is a local leader for a large variety of equipment and accessories for those who love the great outdoors. Here you can find a large variety of products for the nature lover on your list, or hobbyist, toys for your kids. Customers love the beautiful shop in its location on the Main Line. The customer service here is of high quality, and they should also be rewarded on Small Business Saturday.

Happily Ever After
1010 Pine St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 627-5790
www.happily.com

Happily Ever After is a family owned business sure to give you plenty of ideas to fill stockings and under the tree. You can find current toys here, as well as old classics such as Raggedy Ann & Andy, puppets, plush toys, puzzles and crafts. This is also a store you may wish to visit to find something that isn't made of plastic and requires batteries. You can find plenty of unique options, and if you are stuck trying to pick the right gift, the staff is very knowledgeable and eager to help.

Related: Top Screen Printing And Embroidery Shops In Philly

Christina Dagnelli is a freelance writer in Philadelphia and the author of Little Squares with Colors: A Different way to look at autism. Her work on examiner can be found here Examiner.com.

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