#littleboxespdx 2013.

For the third year in a row, we are heading up Little Boxes, the Portland-wide effort created by Betsy & Will that encourages people to shop small on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday -Nov. 29th & 30th this year. We believe the Little Boxes offer the type of experience that makes the holidays special: a warm greeting, unique gifts, and personal customer service. If you live in Portland or are visiting for Thanksgiving, it's super easy to join the fun; check out the list of over 200 participating shops, plan your route using our iPhone app or printable map, enter the raffle to win one of our fabulous prizes (no purchase necessary to enter!), and earn discounts at other Little Box shops by making purchases.

This year, there are over 200 shops participating representing every neighborhood in Portland and providing something for everyone (yes, even the kilt enthusiasts!) on your shopping list. Also new and exciting this year: bigger and better raffle prizes (grand prize= four day trip!) and a super user-friendly iPhone app that will guide you around town and log your raffle entries and purchases.

Follow along:

Little Boxes Blog for Gift Guides, Shop Profiles, and Donor Spotlights, plus Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news, photos, and constant updates through Nov. 30th.

Here we are, mere days away from the event and we are moving full steam ahead. Each day closer to Friday & Saturday brings fresh energy and enthusiasm from business owners, shoppers, and both local and national news outlets. Check out our promotional video for appearances by Portland's First Lady Nancy Hales, plus several other notable locals and shop owners. We recommend viewing daily leading up to the event – and anytime you need a dose of local love – just make sure you have a tissue handy.

 Click to view the Little Boxes promo video!

On a personal note, this has been an incredible experience for me- one of learning, loving, and working harder than I ever thought I would. I believe in this event so very much and am excited to hear how it goes for all of the businesses, shoppers, and supporters near and far. To all who have interacted with us, shared &/or liked our posts on social media, and given us news coverage, THANK YOU. Most of all, thanks to Portland for making this all possible. We all feel incredibly lucky to live in a community where there is such a strong independent business community. No matter where you live, we hope you'll consider supporting indie biz this holiday season (& all year long!). Let's.Do.This Anna ***Song of the Moment: Run This Town by Jay-Z featuring Rihanna & Kanye West***