Mayor celebrates Small Business Saturday, kicks off '#5onMain' campaign

Mayor Martin J. Walsh this weekend celebrated Small Business Saturday and launched the "#5onMain" campaign, the City of Boston's  seasonal initiative for small businesses in Boston, encouraging residents to shop local this holiday season. The City of Boston has over 40,000 small businesses, and 20 Boston Main Streets districts, which work to create, build, and sustain healthy commercial districts throughout the City of Boston.

"I am thrilled to collaborate with WCVB again to support the small, local businesses throughout Boston's Main Streets and neighborhoods. Boston's small businesses invest in our local economies, employ neighbors, and enhance our City, and I am proud to once again support this creative initiative," said Mayor Walsh. "I look forward to seeing residents and visitors explore our local business districts and enjoy the holiday season with family and friends."

Mayor Walsh visited Dorchester boutique "The Cue" to encourage residents to shop locally this holiday season, and joined a celebration held at the Roslindale Village Main Street holiday tree lighting in Adams Park to announce the launch of the "#5onMain" campaign, a partnership with WCVB Channel 5 designed through on-air promotional spots to inspire holiday shoppers to support Main Streets and other local commercial districts during the holiday season.

Mayor Walsh and WCVB collaborated to create the "#5onMain" campaign, which encourages holiday shoppers to support businesses through the City's 20 Boston Main Streets districts and neighborhood business districts during the holiday season at least five times throughout the season. Participants pledge support either by purchasing gifts, dining out, or participating in local holiday events in Boston Main Streets districts, which will help drive traffic to local businesses and boost local business economy. Holiday shoppers are encouraged to amplify the message via social media, using the hashtag "#5onMain."

Boston's 40,000 plus small businesses generate around $15 billion in annual revenue and approximately 170,000 jobs, representing roughly 44 percent of employment and 37 percent of revenues for the city's private, for-profit businesses. Released in March 2016, the City of Boston's first-ever Small Business Plan tasked the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, other city departments, and external partners to make Boston's small business economy thrive, enhance neighborhood vibrancy, and foster economic and social inclusion and equity.

The Economic Development Cabinet's mission is to make Boston an appealing and accessible place for working families, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to innovate, grow, and thrive in a way that fosters inclusion, broadens opportunity, and shares prosperity, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all Bostonians and the experience for all visitors. Learn more on their website.

Developed out of a partnership between the City of Boston and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Boston Main Streets initiative was created in 1995 as the first urban, multi-district Main Streets program in the nation, with the goal of establishing thriving commercial districts throughout the city.  Boston Main Streets is a successful model for urban commercial district revitalization that strengthens local business districts through strong organizational development, community participation, resident and merchant education and sustainable development. Boston Main Streets continues to empower individuals in the small business sector to have a direct role in the economic health, physical appearance, and development of their own community.

WCVB is Boston's broadcast/digital media leader, providing news, weather, sports, community service and entertainment on multiple platforms including WCVB Channel 5, wcvb.com, WCVB mobile and MeTV Boston.  Founded by community leaders in 1972, WCVB is committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local content. In addition to nearly 45 hours of NewsCenter 5 coverage each week, original offerings include Chronicle, the nation's longest running local news magazine; CityLine, a weekly urban magazine program; and On The Record, a weekly political roundtable.  The station has been honored with numerous prestigious national broadcasting honors including the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards for "Best Newscast" and National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation's "Service to the Community" award.  Additional top honors include the National Headliner Awards, Gracie Awards, Gabriel Awards, the regional Emmy's, Associated Press Awards, Walter Cronkite Award, and duPont Awards. WCVB, Boston's ABC affiliate station, is owned by Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst, a leading media company whose global holdings include 30 television stations and two radio stations.  Follow us on Facebook (wcvb5) and Twitter (@wcvb).