Customers showed support for local shops this weekend during Small Business Saturday.

The goal of Small Business Saturday is to support local mom-and-pop shops at a time when they can be lost in the shuffle with big chain stores.

The New York City Department of Small Business Services says small businesses anchor the city's neighborhoods, generating billions of dollars in economic activity and employing nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers.

Small Business Saturday started in 2010 and has picked up steam over the years with the support of elected officials, including President Barack Obama.

The Department of Small Business Services says holiday shopping can account for 20 to 30 percent of small business' annual sales.