Small Business Saturday: Visit These Middletown Businesses

Carly Baldwin
·2 min read

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Small businesses have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, making Small Business Saturday 2020 (Nov. 28) more vital than ever.

Independently owned boutiques, gift shops, mom-and-pop stores and restaurants in Middletown are facing unprecedented challenges due to coronavirus-related restrictions and shutdowns.

Sixty-two percent of small businesses in the United States need to see sales income return to the same rate it was pre-pandemic before the end of the year to stay in business, according to American Express. These businesses, many family-owned, were already fighting for survival against malls, big box stores and online retailers before the pandemic.

Small Business Saturday is organized by American Express, and here are just some of the Middletown businesses participating:

  • Gabriella's steakhouse 447 New Jersey 35 Red Bank, New Jersey

  • Taliercio's deli 544 State Route 35 Red Bank, New Jersey

  • Crown Palace 1283 Highway 35 Middletown, New Jersey

  • House Chong Middletown 482 State Route 35 Red Bank, NJ

  • J & M Bakery 1120 State Route 35 Middletown, NJ

  • Fratelli Pizzeria 480 Route 35 Red Bank, New Jersey

  • Neelam Indian Cuisine 1178 State Route 35 Middletown, NJ

  • Claudie S Chicken 417 Nj-35 Red Bank, New Jersey

  • Frutta Bowls - Middletown 1373 Route 35 Middletown, New Jersey

  • Basille`S Restaurant Pizza 1104 Rt 35 Middletown, New Jersey

  • Hole Lot Of Bagels 1171 Highway 35 Middletown, New Jersey

  • Hole Lot Of Bagels 1171 Highway 35 Middletown, New Jersey

  • Philly Pretzel Eatontown 76 Nj-35 Eatontown, New Jersey

These are just some of the small businesses participating. For a full list, go here: https://www.americanexpress.co...

Temporary closures, capacity restrictions, decreased demand for products and services and delays due to supply-chain issues have led to unprecedented challenges for small-business owners. But the "Shop Small" movement continues amid these hardships.

Since 2010, local business supporters have spent more than $100 billion on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express.

A Shop Small Consumer Impact survey from American Express before the pandemic found that 73 percent of people think empty storefronts are a national issue, and 84 percent agree the increase in empty storefronts and the closing of small, independently owned businesses negatively affect their local communities.

The survey showed that when consumers are aware of the impact of spending their dollars locally, 75 percent said they would be more likely to purchase a product or service from small, independently owned businesses.

For every dollar spent at a U.S. small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community, according to American Express. This helps independent shops and restaurants keep their doors open and meet pay for their workers — your neighbors.

That amounts to about $67 billion that has stayed in local communities since Small Business Saturday began, according to American Express.

This article originally appeared on the Middletown Patch