Back in its heyday, Patchogue Village was known as Suffolk County’s largest outdoor shopping area. The village maintained that title throughout the 1950s and ’60s and even into the ’70s. Though, admittedly, Patchogue’s not quite there now, it’s gotten pretty close, with dozens of retail businesses in the downtown Patchogue area and counting.

Popular shopping attractions—including Thred, Say More Boutique, The Colony Shop and Blum’s, and the relatively new shops like Patch Print Ship & More and AR Workshop—also have a large selection of giftables.

At this year’s Small Business Saturday, slated for Saturday, Nov. 27, retail chamber members plan to run specials and discounts as a start to the holiday shopping season.

Starting at 11 a.m., the chamber will set up a booth outside the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts to promote those deals with a gift bag containing information and coupons for the first 200 participants. Then at noon, Santa Claus will make an appearance in the theatre lobby for free pictures with Santa.

Shopping will be highlighted monthlong with raffle tickets awarded for every $50 spent at participating retailers. Winners of the four gift baskets, comprised of $250 to 500 worth of local items, will be announced on Small Business Saturday.

The Colony Shop co-owner Lori Belmonte promises a big after-Thanksgiving sale on Small Business Saturday, as well as plenty of holiday-inspired clothing, sleepwear and gifts for children.

Ornaments and deals will be aplenty at Patch Print Ship, and owner of Thred, Merav Shiloni, anticipates her Long Island apparel to be a big seller.

“It’s giving back to your community while you are doing something you are going to do anyway,” Shiloni said of shopping local for the holidays.

“It keeps us from having empty stores. You want to see a hustling and bustling Main Street,” added Patch Print Ship owner James Diele-Stein.

“This year, shopping online might not be the best idea: deliveries are slow, shipping is horrible,” chamber executive director David Kennedy said. “Here, you see it, you get it, you bring it home.”

“We already have it in shop, why go elsewhere?” Diele-Stein continued.

Small Business Saturday is not just about shopping small, Kennedy added, but also about inspiring shoppers to buy local during the holiday season and throughout the year.

“There is no doubt property values have risen in our community because we have a vibrant Main Street,” he said, vowing to shop local himself. “Supporting local businesses is an investment in your own community.”