Plaid Friday 2025

Plaid Friday began as a grassroots movement, created almost 20 years ago in California, to bring back the time when shopping for friends and family was a pleasurable, leisurely activity. Now it’s celebrated throughout the nation as part of the Shop Indie Local campaign, sponsored by the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA).

 

At the time Plaid Friday was conceived, there was a growing sentiment to boycott all shopping on that day, as many people avoided the day’s chaos. Most small businesses didn’t even open.  

 

The thought was to turn the day after Thanksgiving into something relaxing and enjoyable, giving people an alternative to shopping at malls before dawn. The idea was to get up late, grab a coffee, and explore the neighborhood, discovering small businesses and shopping local, and that turned out to be a win-win for everyone.

 

The “Plaid” in Plaid Friday refers to the idea of weaving the individual threads of small businesses together to create a strong fabric that celebrates the diversity and creativity of independent businesses. 

 

Members of the White Mountain Independents will be promoting the day, with participating stores offering NH-made, matte-laminated reusable totes made from recycled plastic bottles when a minimum purchase amount is reached. Bags are limited to 1 per customer while supplies last.

 

Thank you for supporting our small businesses!