Small Business Saturday falls on November 28, 2026, the Saturday after Thanksgiving (SBA). In Bergen County it matters a bit more than in most places. Bergen is the only county in New Jersey that enforces blue laws, and Paramus keeps major malls and retail stores closed on Sundays (Bergen County). For a lot of local shops, that Saturday is the biggest shopping day of the holiday weekend.
We are a small Paramus shop ourselves, so these ideas are the kind that make sense for a team of two to ten people and a modest budget. Prices are from our live designers.
The dates to order by
Turnaround starts when your mockup is approved and the deposit is paid. These dates are for pickup in Paramus by Wednesday, November 25, before the holiday.
| Item | Standard, order by | Rush (+25%), order by |
|---|---|---|
| Embroidered caps and polos | Wed, Nov 4 | Text us to ask |
| Printed staff shirts | Wed, Nov 11 | Wed, Nov 18 |
| Banners, yard signs, A-frames | Mon, Nov 16 | Fri, Nov 20 |
If you are reading this after a date has passed, the rush column may still work. Text (201) 948-4433 and ask.
1. Make the window do the work
Most people decide whether to come in from the sidewalk. American Express suggests decorating with posters and window stickers for the day (Shop Small FAQs), and a printed window sign or vinyl decal is the version that lasts past one Saturday. Keep it to one message people can read from the curb: the day, one offer and your hours.
- Small Business Saturday window vinyl and a "one deal" window decal are in the vinyl designer.
- A window sign in the sign designer, 24x36, is $46.50.
- Store hours vinyl for the door is $99.00 and stays up all year. Post your holiday hours on it, and add a holiday hours decal for December.
2. Put a sign on the sidewalk
An A-frame by the door catches people walking past who were not planning to stop. The Small Business Saturday A-frame template is $22.50 for one 18x24 sign, and a pair gives you one for the door and one at the corner. Check your town's rules for sidewalk signs first. Some Bergen towns limit their size or need a permit, which we cover for Paramus, Ridgewood and others on our town pages.
If your town allows a banner, a 3x6 Small Business Saturday banner is $54.00. Signs have a $35.00 order minimum before tax and shipping.
3. Dress the team so people know who to ask
On a busy Saturday, shoppers need to find the person who can help. Matching shirts do that, and they make the photos you post that day look like one business. A Gildan 5000 tee with your logo is $19.50 each at 12, or $24.00 each at 6. Put "Shop Small" or your street name on the sleeve or back for the day if you like, and the shirts keep working all year.
The SBS Kit puts the three biggest pieces together: a 3x6 banner, an 18x24 store-hours window vinyl and 12 tees with your logo, for $299.00 (a $331.00 value). The softer Bella+Canvas version is $339.00. Our Small Business Saturday page covers the kit, the town sign rules and the full checklist.
4. Team up with the shops next door
American Express's free marketing materials include a Shop Small passport that shoppers get stamped at each store, plus ideas like a pop-up market and a welcome station (Shop Small marketing materials). In a downtown like Ridgewood, Westwood, Oradell or Cedar Lane in Teaneck, three or four neighbors with a passport and a small prize for a full card can bring people down the whole block. Split the cost of one banner that names everyone, or print a small run of matching tees for the owners.
5. Sell something with your name on it
If your customers like you, some of them will wear you. A tee or hoodie with your logo, your street or your founding year makes a gift for someone else on the list and an ad for you. Start small: six shirts in two popular sizes and one color, and order more if they sell. A Gildan 18500 hoodie is $35.50 each at 12 with a front print. If you want to sell online without holding stock, see our guide to launching merch with no inventory.
6. Sell gift cards for the rest of the season
Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 4 this year (Hebcal), and Christmas is four weeks after Small Business Saturday. A gift card sign at the register reminds people they can shop for someone else. The gift card sign template and the gift card window decal are ready to edit.
7. Plan the week after
Small Business Saturday is one day, but the people who found you that day can come back. Collect emails at the register, post a photo of the team that evening, and keep the window up through December with a holiday sale sign or holiday sale decal. If you want staff hoodies as holiday gifts, see our holiday gift guide. Printed gifts need to be ordered by December 9 for pickup before Christmas.
Picking it up
Orders are picked up contactless in Paramus on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11am to 3pm. Book a pickup time when your order is ready, or book a short design chat if you want help putting the window and shirts together.