NEW YORK (WABC) — Before you head out to the mall or open up your laptop to do some browsing, you may want to consider shopping small. From candy shops and toy stores to the workshops of artisans, you can enrich your community and find unique gifts at small businesses.

There’s no denying small businesses are the backbone of any city, but in a place like New York City, it’s not always easy to stay afloat with sky-high rents and cutthroat competition unlike anywhere else.

There are 183-thousand small businesses across the 5 boroughs – a record-breaking high just recorded this year.

They employ millions of New Yorkers, but most importantly for every dollar spent at a small business, 70 cents stays in the community.

That’s why it’s so important to shop small, especially this holiday season.

Join Joelle Garguilo for this special look at small businesses in New York City, Storefront Stories, on Friday at 10:30 a.m. on Channel 7 and wherever you stream ABC 7 New York.

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