Downtown Santa Barbara Small-Business Owners Celebrate Small Business Saturday

Dozens of local businesses in downtown Santa Barbara and surrounding areas participated in Small Business Saturday.

It comes on the Saturday after Black Friday and encourages people to spend their money at small business in their cities.

The organization Downtown Santa Barbara came out to State Street to promote the annual tradition.

“I think small businesses are the lifeblood of any district or shopping location like this,” said Kate Schwab of the Downtown Santa Barbara organization.

At Plum Goods on the 900 block of State Street, people dropped in to browse and buy handmade and fair trade goods.

The store opened up four years ago and has found its niche in the community.

It also supports, and sells goods made by local artists and entrepreneurs.

Plum Goods helped launch the business of a 13-year-old Santa Barbara girl who sells her recycled crayons at the store.

Small Business Saturday was created in 2010 by credit card company American Express.

Last year, shoppers spent about $5.7 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to a joint survey by National Federation of Independent Business and American Express.