In 2010, the American Express credit card company began calling the Saturday after Thanksgiving Small Business Saturday as a counter to Black Friday and Cyber Monday- days that tend to focus on big box stores and the Internet. In 2011, the U.S. Senate got involved, unanimously (when was the last time THAT happened?) passing a Resolution of Support of the day. Officials in all 50 states participated.
By 2017, there were more than 7,200 so-called ‘Neighborhood Champions’ (the Downtown Development Authority is one) who rally participation and encourage their community to be involved.
The statistics behind shopping small and local are compelling. Over the 8 Small Business Saturdays held so far, more than $85 billion has been spent at independent retailers and restaurants- $85 BILLION- and 90% of consumers surveyed said Small Business Saturday has 
had a positive impact on their community. Small Business Saturday continues to be an annual holiday shopping tradition — just one part of the larger Shop Small Movement to support small businesses every day and everywhere.
Shoppers at Weekend Thrifter
When you visit a place like The Agora Borealis, Rhino Coffee, Bon Temps CoffeeHouse, the Remington Suite Spa or Lounge, Norsworthy Gallery, Robinson Film Center, and our other small and local businesses, you are not only supporting our local economy, but promoting a thriving community.
Finding the perfect item at The Agora Borealis
That’s why American Express is proud to back Small Business Saturday and the Shop Small Movement, and why the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation are proud to help them.
Our Downtown Small Business Saturday is going to be a great day, and will start early, at 7:30 a.m. with the opening of Bon Temps Coffeehouse and their special for the day, $1 brewed coffees all day. Scroll down to see all the locations that are participating and the various events of the day!
The Agora Borealis at 421 Lake Street is going to have a HUGE Small Business Saturday! They will be giving away fabric totes and prizes and will be filled to the rafters with Pop-Up Art and Artists! Come see the works of: Bonnie Ferguson of Pastry Moon, Adam King of Gaia’s Blessings, Rachel Fletcher of Lion’s Arrow, Melissa Gibson with Fleur de Lit: Literary Magazine, Thomas Little, Kimberly Gable, Kenya Jones of Kollections by Kenya, Kathleen Martin of Rock River Soapworks, Nancy Peters of BRYN+MCKENNA. Beautiful 3-dimensional ceramic works by Jessica Sanders will be hanging in the Agora Gallery, Neil Johnson’s work will be in iArchitecture, and Emily Ezell’s nudes will be in the Lake Street Gallery* (21 and up, please). Come for fun and leave with holiday gifts, door prizes and an appreciation of the depth of our local art industry! See a video about the store here.
All American Burger
Red River Brewing Company, Fat Calf Boucherie and Smith Family Farms 11 a.m.- 10 p.m., are offering a threesome this SBS! Smith Family Farms will be offering 10% off purchases of their delicious cuts of locally-sourced lamb, beef and now pork! No hormones, no antibiotics, and their cattle are not kept in a feed lot. Check out their items for sale in a cooler in Red River Brewing Co. Fat Calf Bourcherie is doing 20% off all burgers (Boucherie, All American, and Portobello). Red River Brewing is giving 20% off all growler refills. Come eat, drink, be merry and buy some items to take home!
happy and beautiful on Small Business Saturday! They will have a spa booth with products and discounted gift cards set out, along with a Happy Hour and live music. Remember that the bar will be open from 3 pm – 11 pm, so you can shop while drinking a nice glass of wine or a Moscow Mule. Special drink prices will apply during Happy Hour from 3-7 pm.
Gina Marie’s Antiques, Oddities, & Curiosities, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.at 500 Texas Street is going to be offering 20% off EVERYTHING on Small Business Saturday! Been eyeing a vampire kit or a vintage circus poster? Go by and see Steve, Gina Marie and Josie and pick up some fun holiday gifts. They are open from 11 am- 7 pm and are WELL worth a look around!
Louisiana Specialty Gifts in the Red River District will be open from 10 am- 6 pm and are planning giveaways and specials all day long. Go in for a free slice locally-made King Cake (while supplies last). Choose a free Louisiana tote bag or pick a pearl (your choice) with a $25 or more purchase. ALSO the first 10 customers with a $25 or more purchase will receive a BONUS gift of a FREE roll of LSU or Saints gift wrap.
Sci-Port Discovery Center on the Shreveport riverfront is in on the fun Saturday action, too! They will be open from 9 am – 5 pm with interactive planetarium and science shows throughout the day. Memberships for 2019 will be available for purchase for $200 for a family membership of four & $40 for each additional family member and $100 for an individual membership. The first 20 individuals to walk into Sci-Port to purchase memberships will receive a 10% discount!
The Korner Lounge , 800 Louisiana Avenue, has a two-fer for you! On Black Friday, they are doing 
“Employee Pricing for Everyone” (people pay what employees pay to drink-approximately 50% off) and karaoke at 10 pm. Hours are 4 pm till 3 am. After the fireworks on Small Business Saturday, head over to 800 Louisiana Ave. for a $5 Sex on the Beach specialty drink and karaoke at 10 pm. Open 6 pm till 3 am.
Norsworthy Gallery , 214 Texas Street, would love for your Christmas to be an artful and very creative one! Go by to see their beautiful selection of custom art, prints and fabulous jewelry and save 10% off the regular price!
Fully Stacked is all in on Small Business Saturday! Drop by the burger bar in 
the Red River District all day for Happy Hour drink prices and 10% off all food purchases! If you haven’t had one of their ‘fully stacked’ burgers, specialty sandwiches, salads or pizzas, now is the time to give them a try. Fully Stacked is open Saturday from 11 a.m. until 6 a.m. (Sunday)!
Artspace Shreveport at 708 Texas is going to be bursting at the seams on Small Business Saturday! 
artspace will be decked top to bottom with paintings, handmade ornaments, wooden boxes, and pet accessories, photography, bags, stuffed creations, caricatures, quilts and more original art created by more than 20 Northwest Louisiana Artists! Enjoy live music from Brumley & Gardner from 5-7 pm, and complimentary apple cider and holiday refreshments all day. Artist Tracy McComic will also be hosting two jewelry- making sessions.
Here’s a HUGE Small Business Saturday steal deal! Parish Taceaux at 708 Texas (next door to artspace- go shop at Holidaze there, then pop over to PT) is doing BOTTOMLESS Mimosa and Bloody Marys for $12. YES, you read that right- $12! And, they are going to let you go back and forth; and order both Mimosas AND Marys. Remember that strong coffee is served just across the street!
Robinson Film Center, 617 Texas Street, will be offering deals on both Black 
Friday and Small Business Saturday. Spend $20 on a gift card, get another $5 for free or buy a gift-membership, get 2 free movie passes for yourself! Also, great new RFC merchandise for sale, perfect for your favorite moviegoer, and the always-popular RFC gift cards are available.
Nicky’s Mexican Restaurant 
in the Red River District is offering two-for-one enchilada dinners and Margaritas ALL DAY!
Proud Mary 360 Grill is featuring Chef 
Panderina & Chef Will’s Proud Mary’s Creole-Soul Bell Pepper Plate on Small Business Saturday, so come hungry! It’s a stuffed Creole bell pepper top with a fried shrimp and three pieces of fried chicken (mixed- leg, thigh, wing) for $15.00. The bar will be serving up 2-for 1 martinis and there will be mixed drinks, beer & wine specials for both Black Friday AND Small Business Saturday! There is also live entertainment from 8 pm until midnight on both days.
Rhino Coffee at 624 Texas, 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.
It’s comb time! Get a small drink, any sandwich and chips for just $10! If it’s a pretty day, enjoy sitting on the gorgeous sidewalk cafe.
The Missing Link, 524 Texas Street, is cooking up a special sausage stuffing 
for the day and a cranberry specialty drink. They are open Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Weekend Thrifter, 719 Common Street, is downtown’s newest clothing shop. 
They recycle and re-purpose cute items and that makes you want to repeat your visits there! Brittny will be open SBS from 11-5 and 12-4 on the 25th. Her $5 super sale is still going on select items.
On Time Fashion will be open from 9 am- 6 pm at 621 Texas Street with a huge selection of men’s apparel- suits, ties, cool socks, shirts, shoes, hats and more!
After your shopping and eating, be sure to hang around for TWO fun holiday events downtown on SBS. There will be choirs singing in the Red River District and at 5 pm, the tree in the district will be lit. From 4 pm- 7 pm is Rockets over the Red on the 
Shreveport/Bossier riverfronts. On the Shreveport side, enjoy live music, a snow-making machine, food trucks and wonderful fireworks timed to holiday music! It’s a great event for the whole family and we hope to see you there!
