National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day – Facts and Trivia
March 29 is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day in the U.S. It’s a day to recognize couples who have built their businesses from the ground up, as well as larger businesses who started small, but have grown immensely, thanks to community support and local consumer engagement.
It’s a day to celebrate small business owners who value face-to-face customer interaction, community loyalty, and business flexibility.
When—and why—was National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day started?
This unique holiday was founded by Rick and Margie Segel. Rick’s parents built and owned a dress shop 5 miles outside the city of Boston.
Why did the son of a husband and wife business owner team want to recognize these unique business partnerships?
Because he saw this business built from the ground up by his parents, and witnessed its growth, despite an often turbulent economic landscape.
Rick’s background is in retail; “That’s who I am,” he says. With a degree in marketing and after several years working for Hertz Rent-a-Car, Rick received a call one day from his mom saying that his father had suffered a heart attack. When asked to come help with the family business, a then 900-square-foot dress shop, Rick took a 90 day leave-of-absence from his job to go back to Boston.
On the 47th day of his leave, Rick’s father passed away. When faced with the decision to go back to the corporate world or remain in the family business, Rick opted to stay.
For the next 25 years, he worked in the family dress shop. “That is who I am, that is where I come from, and I’m not trying to be anything other than that,” Rick states in a talk at the 2013 ARN Revenue Conference & Exhibition.
Over those 25 years, Rick saw 97 stores go out of business during an urban renewal project. Meanwhile, his family’s business grew and the dress shop expanded to 10,000 sq. feet, doing over $2.5 million “in a plighted downtown.”
Why support Mom and Pop Shops?
That type of resilience, growth, and determination are the markers of a true mom-and-pop business success story, and inspiration enough to dedicate a day to the entrepreneurs who build small businesses across the U.S.
Small businesses come and go. It’s estimated that roughly 80% of small businesses survive the first year; only half survive the first five years.
Supporting local, small businesses and shops is important because:
- It helps family-owned businesses survive—and thrive. In the United States family businesses account for 57% of the GDP and employ 63% of the workforce (source: Family Business Alliance).
- They get to know their customers. We all know that a personalized experience creates more loyal users. Just like we trust a doctor who listens to our concerns, we trust a shop owner who listens to our story and provides a more personal shopping experience.
- They support the community. Not only do they provide employment for local residents, mom and pop shops are often present at community events like parades, festivals, school events, and even fundraisers, providing donations through time, money, or hard goods.
- Family-owned = high values and high standards. According to the academic journal Family Business Review, more than 30% of family-owned businesses survive into the second generation, 12% survive into the third, and just 3% into the fourth-generation level and beyond. Whatever generation a family business is on, the current owners have a legacy to maintain, and will maintain the standards, ethics, and values imparted to them from their predecessors.
What is a “Mom and Pop Shop”?
A Mom and Pop Shop is a small business. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, a small business has fewer than 500 employees. Though mom and pop shops have far less than 500 employees, some large businesses started off as small mom and pop businesses and grew because of community support.
Most mom and pop shops have a brick-and-mortar location. Some examples of these shops include:
- Restaurants & Cafés
- Jewelers
- Clothing Boutiques
- Hotels & Inns
- Crafters and Manufacturers
- Salons & Spas
- Print Shops
- Gift Shops
- Grocery Stores
Hashtags to use for Mom and Pop Business Owners Day
Even if you have steady foot traffic to your shop, reach out to customers on social media to further your reach. Here are some popular hashtags small business owners use on national mom and pop business owners day:
- #MomandPopBusinessOwnersDay
- #MomPopBusinessOwnersDay
- #SmallBiz
- #SmallBusiness
- #SmallBusinessRocks
- #MomandPopBusiness
- #MomandPopShop
- #ShopLocal
- #Shop(City/State)
See how small business owners have used these hashtags on social media:
What shop owners can do to celebrate National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day
There are lots of unique ways to commemorate this unique holiday that celebrates small business owners. Here are just a few ways to reach out to your customers and community:
- Host a tour of your shop. Let them see you making your crafts in action, or take small tour groups into the kitchen so they can see what goes into their meal prep.
- Create a timeline of your business’ history. Whether you post pictures and text on a wall inside your store, or you share it online, customers love seeing the journey a small business took to get to where it is. Sharing your story with them creates a more trusting environment.
- Hand out goodies. Sometimes, a small offering helps remind your community what you do. Whether it’s a small coffee, a massage, a small necklace pendant, sometimes the small things make the biggest difference.
- Host a fun fair. Food, drinks, a bounce house? Why not? If time and space allows, host a mini fun fair, either by yourself or with a group of other small business owners. It’s a great way to network with those in your community.
- Teach your customers your trade. Let them in on some of your secrets. For example, if you have a woodworking shop, host small classes, letting attendees try out some of your tools and even create a small craft.
- Take a break. If you can afford to close up shop for the day, or just half a day, consider giving yourself and your employees a break. Customers will understand, and will appreciate that you value employee morale.
We ❤ working with Mom and Pop Shops
Are you a small business owner, or do you own a mom and pop shop? We work with business owners and managers just like you by offering branded giveaways, promotional products, and marketing materials. Browse OnTheBallPromotions.com to see how we can help enforce your small business’ image in your community.