So it’s Black Friday. Chances are you’re reading this after an early morning spent jockeying for the flat-screen TVs and season’s hottest items that retailers have been prormoting.

And on Cyber Monday, Americans by and large will turn to their computers for on-line shopping, in what experts have flagged as the busiest day of the year for online commerce.

But sandwhiched between those days is something new: Small Business Saturday.

It’s a national marketing effort designed to encourage shoppers to take advantage of the small businesses in their hometowns … a concept we’ve long supported.

The Small Business Saturday effort is based on the fact that small businesses are critical to the nation’s overall economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were nearly 28 million small businesses in the United States last year. During the past two decades, they created 65 percent of net new jobs.

Their importance to local communities extends even further. For every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures, according to the small business advocacy group The 3/50 Project.

More than that, small businesses are a smart shopping alternative. By choosing to shop in locally-owned stores in Troy, Brundidge or throughout Pike County, you guarantee personal service; unique and one-of-a-kind selection; and the benefits of knowledgeable advice and guidance from friends and neighbors.

Moreover, you’re supporting our local economy.

And that’s always a good thing.

So take advantage of the Black Friday and weekend specials that so many of our local businesses are offering this weekend.

And help make Small Business Saturday a success.