Yes, Joel...I learned this from my sister's husband many years ago when we all lived in Manitowoc where his parents owned the local Ace Hardware. Wherever he lived they always shopped local in later years. In Waukesha they shopped downtown first...always.

Absolutely, Joel!!!!

make everyday a small business day

Some employees may want to work Thanksgiving evening in exchange for Christmas Eve off. Or maybe they need the money and are happy to have a job, and the extra hours.
Not everyone relies on Obamabucks to pay their bills, and soon the banks won't accept 'that' money.

Stores aren't "greedy". They're in business to make money. If consumers weren't willing to line up at virtually any hour of the day for a chance to save 20% on a limited supply of something they don't need, stores definitely wouldn't be open at that hour because there are costs associated with being open.

This has become a sport and social event for some people. Not my cup of tea, but so what? It's now a part of the culture.

Bob is right, stores aren't greedy, stores are inanimate objects; CEO's and their underlings are Greedy. People line up, because the Greedy employ marketing gurus with psychological expertise that know how to get into peoples' heads. It's the same method the government uses through media and other events that happen daily to distract the majority from paying attention to the shenanigans taking place with OUR tax dollars.

Keep an eye open for the black helicopters, Daniel. They'll be after you now that you've exposed them.

Daniel,

I think you've confused the DNC with CEO's.

No confusion here Luke, it's just the way it is. Happy Thanks-Giving ; )

Burton, they usually run a separate article (generally more in depth than this) on "Small Business Saturday" a little closer to the actual date. Still got a few days left here.

Burton, Patches across the country – 900 of them – have been participating for weeks in a joint Small Business Saturday campaign, with each Patch site publishing a minimum of two small business stories every week – many of us do more. Small business is at the heart of every community, and it is at the core of Patch to cover small, locally owned business day-to-day throughout the year. But in my own Wauwatosa, in Brookfield, Greendale and the North Shore communities surrounding Bayshore Mall, in Waukesha – most Patch places, really – large retailers also matter, very much. They provide jobs and tax revenues, and certainly I believe that in the case of Mayfair Mall also create very large and powerful magnets that draw people from throughout the region to Wauwatosa, to the benefit of many of our smaller, indepedent businesses as well.

Historically, Patch has favored small business in day-to-day, year-round coverage. During the holidays, we support them, too, and strongly, but not by ignoring large business interests. If you visit Wauwatosa Patch right now, you will find two related small business stories at the top of the page – above the Black Friday story.

I'd search 'small business Satuday' Burton...we've been posting information from local merchants. We are also not a paper that is purchased.

Most retail is 30% tops. With the internet the playing field is even more level. There are so many loss leaders done on bf. Consumer spending drives our success and employees millions.

Str8...I surely don't either!!...but I read all the comments here and most are valid opinions. My sons work overtime [not in stores] every chance they get to keep up with their bills as they listened to me while growing up: "You'll find your best helping hand here [stretched out arm and wiggling fingers] at he end of your own arm."

Really? You want the source of the greed? A most simplistic explanation can be found on the Wal-Mart episode of South Park (juvenile, I know, but it seems to fit in with your outlook).

Spoiler alert - when they wanted to learn the secret of the Wal-Mart success (the metaphor for your corporate greed), and broke into the safe to find it, they found only a mirror.

Stores keep opening earlier and earlier, because the sheep keep lining up earlier and earlier.

Good point Mau. I bet they wait in lines for free cell phones or gas for Quest cards. But when there is a job to be had, they all claim they can't find one.
I wonder if it is because most jobs test to be sure applicants are drug free?

Can't pass the drug test, can't read or do simple math and can't even show on time for the interview. This eliminates a large portion of candidates. Some Milwaukee liberal pundits would like to see marijuana legalized as this would take care of the drug test failures. So what do you get, a stoned employee who still can't read or do simple math and doesn't show up for work.

Legalizing marijuana at the state level does not mean an employer cannot drug test you for usage. They drug test for alcohol use too and it's legal. The only thing legalization would change, is the number of arrests for possession, lighten court load, save taxpayer $$'s on incarceration and free up police to focus on other more criminal acts.

We should give the doctors and nurses off too. So unfair

It's too bad people don't have a choice as to whether they participate or not. This year I'm going to try hiding under a stairway in the basement when they come sweeping through the neighborhood, rousting us from our sleep, loading us into the backs of panel trucks and hauling us off to stand in line for hours in the dark in front of some Walmart. I'd really rather not go.

If we give medical personnel off, how about Law Enforcement & Fire Protection, Bus Drivers, Airline Personnel, Public Utility personnel . . . why don't we just shut down the whole country for the day?

Steve, We do give doctors and nurses off on Thanksgiving. Try making a doctor or dentist appointment on Thanksgiving, or schedule some elective surgery at midnight on Friday. Sure, the emergency rooms are open, but regularly scheduled medical procedures are not.

You're reading waaaaaay too far into my comment. If broke my keg on Thursday an orthopedic Dr would show up to pop it pack in place. A nurse would be there for eye candy and the janitor to clean up the mess. How unfair.

Steve, if you break open a keg on Thanksgiving, then you are celebrating differently then I do! ;>)

Steve dropped a keg on his leg last Thanksgiving?
Time to change to the hard stuff, it is much lighter.

ha, silly phone posting while in a deer stand.

Jack lives with Steve ®

@KKP -

Hoffa agrees. But it makes you wonder how many people appear to have money for 24" spinner rims, cell phone plans, fancy kicks, bling, pay TV services, cruise vacations, booze, cigs, illegal narcotics, etc. and yet, don't seem to ever have a dime to spend on their own health care, and instead insist that the government provide it / subsidize it for them.

Funny how that works, isn't it?

There's no accounting for some peoples' priorities.

Hoffa completely agree except the part about cell plans. Many of the people you're referring to don't pay for cell plans either. Tax payers pay for their one or more cell plans and will soon also pay their healthcare.

Still can't shop for a car on Sunday. Less laws restraining and limiting capitalism the better. Especially in a crap Obama economy.

Depends what state you live in; whether you can shop for a car or not. Only 15 states do not allow sales on Sunday and the majority are in the midwest. There are also states that do not allow alcohol sale on Sunday or have shortened/restricted sales or hours of operation. These laws have roots going back to the 17th century (1610) . . . . with repeal of laws beginning in the early 1950's.

Funny that you can buy a car on Saturday but not Sunday.
Actually, state law does allow car sales on Sunday.
ie: If the dealership is Jewish owned, and honors their holy day from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday by being closed- then they may be open Sunday.
As you may have noticed, none want to be the only dealer closed on Saturday.

A lot shopping on bf are purchasing gifts.

I agree. Republicans have to make every single thing political, they blame Obama for everything, I'm sure he is also responsible for the weather.

I guess you don't recall how GW Bush was blamed for the hurricanes and other severe weather events during his time in office. It isn't just the republicans...

Robert B. : Not to worry, in four years we all will be standing in lines for our Thanksgiving turkey. People will not be talking politics then, they will be talking about the good old days, when you could earn a paycheck to BUY food.
The only business that will be successful will be those who manufacture Quest cards.

I believe if one were to pay attention to typical conversation taking place throughout the country, you'd discover very little communication about politics and how to correct the issues facing the nation. More people are talking about irrelevant issues; sports, drinking, sex, purchases they made, hairdo's and makeovers, celebrities . . . true reality has taken a backseat to reality nonsense.

I absolutely agree, Robert, I was thinking the same thing. This was a simple question about SHOPPING for crying out loud....Why does everything have to morph into political and/or racial issues?? let's keep to the subject here, which is SHOPPING. Political banter can be taken to other, more appropriate forums.

Lead by example?
http://oakcreek.patch.com/users/robert-b-6fa33095

shame on you.

Yup. No racism in the GOP.

Of course the line is black, it's night time when they open. But once day breaks, it sheds a whole new light on things. Thankfully I won't be there then, nor on any other day of the year.

America, this is your GOP

Keith and Satori, you jumped on that generalization way too quickly. Last month there was a rash of car thefts in Shorewood. Does that mean all Shorewood residents are car theives?

I thought they were all tax revenue thieves.

No Steve ®, they were stimulus car theives.