BILLINGS, Mont. – This Black Friday, local businesses in Billings are emphasizing the importance of shopping locally. Owners and community members believe that supporting small businesses can significantly benefit the local economy. Linda Brooks, owner of SomethingChic, highlighted the unique value local shops brings. "You can find big box stores, you can find chain stores in any town. There's nothing special about that. But all the small businesses, whether it's coffee shops, restaurants, spa's, anything like that, they are what make a community unique and different. And I think it's really important to keep those businesses alive," said Brooks. The National Retail Federation reports that small retailers earn a large share of their yearly revenue during the holiday seaso

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