The Saturday after Thanksgiving has become known as Small Business Saturday, and it’s an opportunity for towns to kick off the Christmas shopping season for their downtown stores. Kalona Chamber of Commerce Director Jodi Covington feels the shopping holiday is important for towns such as Kalona, because it puts money back into the community. She says, “When you shop small businesses, you’re supporting local merchants. You’re not supporting the big box stores. And you get more creative things. You get things that are unique and personable. And you also get the service, too, which I think is nice. And that puts everyone in the Christmas spirit when you get to shop locally in places like that, because there’s always a story in how they found it or how they chose to sell that item.” Covington says all the stores in downtown Kalona will be open on Small Business Saturday.