Small businesses have a big impact on the economy — and on the communities they are located in.

This past weekend was marked the annual “Small Business Saturday,” with local and national business advocates encouraging the public to think big and “shop small.”

“We have always said that small businesses are the backbone of the community,” said Carmen Garcia, manager at Sonya’s Clothing on Oaklawn Avenue in Cranston.  “We bring a human factor to business and give people the kind of service they won’t find elsewhere.”

The boutique carries a wide variety of formal wear for women and children, as well as casual clothing, shoes, jewelry and other accessories.  Owned by Sonya Janigian, its eclectic, creative collections have made it popular since it opened in the early ‘80s.

“We are part of the community,” said Garcia.  “You want to see small businesses on your ‘Main Street.’  You do not want to see vacant storefronts.”

Paul Durfee knows a thing or two about running a small business.  His family has owned and operated Durfee’s Hardware, a local institution on Rolfe Street, for 95 years.

“Local businesses support their communities,” he said, noting that Durfee’s donates to local sports organizations, youth causes, and more.  Also, he said, when people shop local, they are helping to ensure that the money they spend in their city or town stays there.  “I’m right here,” said Durfee who is the grandson of the store’s founder.  He still works there but has passed ownership on to his son, Ryan.

“When I go out to lunch I eat nearby,” he said.  “The money stays in the community.”

Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010 and has been cosponsored by the Small Business Administration (SBA) since 2011. According to the SBA, an estimated $201 billion has been spent at local businesses on the Friday after Thanksgiving since the campaign to shop small started.

“From family-run corner stores to food trucks to online boutiques, small businesses are an important part of our lives and our business,” the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce states in advocating for the local shopping day. “When they succeed, we all do.”

“When you shop local, you are supporting people, not large companies or conglomerates,” said Karen Ventrone Moore, a former teacher who last year opened a gourmet cheese shop on Route 2 in West Warwick, near the Warwick line. Called “Cocktail Hour Essentials,” the shop reflects Moore’s lifelong love of good food and entertaining.

All the cheeses (more than 70 varieties) are cut to order, and the shop is filled with accoutrements such as gourmet jams and crackers, local artisan bread, international wines and local craft beers, she said.  And because she’s a local business owner, Moore said she can be as creative as she wants to make shopping a culinary adventure for her customers.

“We collaborate with other local businesses to hold private cheese and wine-pairing parties,” she said.  “Everything in here, I have chosen and curated for my customers.”

“I am so happy to share my love of food with my customers,” she said.  “It’s not just a business, it’s a passion. Small businesses are about people.”