NILES — Tasty local pizza aside, Sarah Martin, general manager of Front Street Pizza, is proud of the restaurant’s row of beer taps. Of the 20 beers served, 18 are from Michigan breweries, some local.

Martin said she likes the tap setup because it supports and celebrates area small businesses. On Saturday, Nov. 30, she will be able to celebrate those beers and Front Street Pizza itself to what she hopes will be a large audience at its 510 N. Front St. location.

Front Street Pizza is participating in Small Business Saturday, a national event that encourages people to spend their money at local businesses owned by area entrepreneurs.

Many small businesses offer discounts or free events during the daylong event. Front Street Pizza, for instance, offers comeback coupons. Spend a certain amount of money on food, and the restaurant will give a customer a coupon they can use within the next year.

“I really like to give back,” Martin said. “Everyone can do a discount, but giving you a reason to basically circulate your money back to you when you’d already be spending it [is better].”

Given that Small Business Saturday is three days after the busiest bar night of the year — the day before Thanksgiving — Martin and the staff have had a busy week so far.

She is excited about Saturday, however. It allows her to give back to the people that keep Front Street Pizza strong.

Justin Flagel is excited, too. He is a board member of Niles Main Street, which has organized a number of events meant to draw in people to the downtown Niles district Saturday to spend money at local businesses.

“The various attractions downtown help draw people to the area and gives them a reason to stick around throughout the day, encouraging them to explore, shop and dine at even more of our businesses,” he wrote.

Business-related events included are an artisan market titled “Local is the New Black” at the Grand LV, 104 N. Third St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and artists and performers at local businesses from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“In the past few years, we’ve framed this event as the kickoff to the holiday season in Niles and added many of the attractions to help create a festive community atmosphere,” Flagel wrote.

Brandywine High School carolers, a Christmas tree sale, horse-drawn carriage rides, a tree lighting, tours of a decorated Chapin Mansion and photos with Santa and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will all take place during the day.

The Niles Main Street events extend past people’s typical perceptions of a small business, a brick and mortar store. Vendors, artists and musicians are also included.

It is the 10th year that Niles has hosted Small Business Saturday, which itself became a national event a decade ago.

“Lisa Croteau and Niles [Main Street] do a great job of helping promote and support the businesses down here,” said Linda Skwarcan, general manager of downtown business Veni’s Sweet Shop.

She said she enjoys participating in Small Business Saturday because it supports business that are small and local, features that Veni’s embodies.

She will offer a free handmade candy cane or molded chocolate Santa for every $20 purchase at the store, with a 10-item limit.

Aiye Akhigbe, owner of Sticky Spoons Jam, a non-brick-and-mortar business in Niles, said she appreciates the push for small business because of its local emphasis. She said she has seen the trend to shop local take hold outside of Small Business Saturday, too.

“I’ve never going to be Smucker’s,” she said. “I’m never going to be on all the shelves on the world’s face, but when you come and see what people can make with their hands and locally sourced things, it’s just amazing.”

Akhigbe said when she attends vending events, she walks around, meeting local entrepreneurs, fascinated with the products they are able to create. On Saturday, she will likely do the same.

Martin, of Front Street Pizza, said she enjoys the emphasis on local businesses, too. Its staff are often from the town they serve in, so the impact of local dollars spent on local business is all the more meaningful.

“Me and the owner, Cindy, are both from Niles,” she said. “It’s nice to run a business in the same town that you live in and be able to actually have a job in the same town that you live in.”