When it comes to sandwiches, it's what's between the bread that counts! The same is true with BLACK FRIDAY and CYBER MONDAY. The "between" is SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.

Those lovingly called "Mom and Pop" stores are the ones that give our community the "local feel" that we all love. But that's not all--about half of this nation's workforce is employed by small business.

Small business leads by numbers. There are nearly 28-mllion small businesses in the U.S., compared to 18,500 corporate complexes with 500 or more employees. 99.7 per cent of all businesses in America are considered "small businesses", and 52 per cent of those are "home based".

Look at the family businesses around Rutherford County, and then look at the area's large corporate giants. This county is fortunate to have a healthy mix of both, but I think all would agree that it's the look, mood and feel of the "Mom and Pop" stores that creates the feeling of what we call the Heart of Tennessee.

So when we compare BLACK FRIDAY (the big Friday sale day after Thanksgiving) and CYBER MONDAY (the shop on-line Monday after Thanksgiving), it's what's in between that gives us the satisfaction and love of what we look at as home.

That is why it is so important to SHOP LOCAL and SHOP FAMILY BUSINESSES. That's what makes the HEART OF TENNESSEE great! Oh, and why don't you try it all of the time, instead of just on SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.