Sen. Menendez visits Hoboken to promote ‘Small Business Saturday’

HOBOKEN AND BEYOND – Everyone knows about Black Friday. Some may even have heard of Cyber Monday. But what about Small Business Saturday?
Small Business Saturday is an annual campaign to encourage shoppers to buy gifts from local businesses during one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D – NJ) spoke at Big Fun Toys on Washington Street in Hoboken on Monday afternoon alongside Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, Wendy Olivera, who is the president of the Hudson County NJ Association of Women Business Owners, and Kathleen Childs of Big Fun Toys.
Menendez said he remembered that when he lived in Hoboken, he would frequent small businesses in the mile-square city for shopping, and urged others to do so.
He said that even though federal programs help small businesses, they cannot succeed without a reasonable demand for their goods from the local community.
Zimmer encouraged residents to shop locally, saying it is the “most convenient and most enjoyable way” to complete holiday shopping.
Zimmer, who said parking is “a challenge” in Hoboken, explained a parking coupon program that the city is offering business owners during the holiday season to allow customers to park in municipal garages.
Starting on Nov. 21, Hoboken businesses can visit the Hoboken Parking Utility to pick up $100 worth of “Park-and-Shop” customer coupons for free, valid from Nov. 26 through Dec. 31, according to a city release. “Park-and-Shop” validation coupons are always available for purchase by registered Hoboken businesses at the Hoboken Parking Utility during regular business hours.
To read more about Small Business Saturday, click HERE. — Ray Smith