The holiday season is officially underway, which means many local business owners in the Grand Rapids area and nationwide are encouraging customers to shop small before hitting the big chains. Founded by American Express and co-sponsored by the U.

Small Business Saturday was created to help encourage people to shop locally during the holidays. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — West Michigan business owners hope people will do their holiday shopping locally on Small Business Saturday.

The afternoon was a joyful reminder of the city’s resilience, said Bob Roberts, president of the Corktown Business Association.