Stuff the turkey, mash the potatoes, pour the gravy and sleep in because Black Friday is not the time to shop this holiday season. Instead, spend some holiday savings during Small Business Saturday! Buying local and supporting local business is a great way to give the community a boost.

West Philly is home to many great bookstores, including Bindlestiff Books (4530 Baltimore Ave), and Penn Book Center (130 S. 34th St), which is holding an Indies First event on Saturday, Nov. 29. Local authors are volunteering for a campaign spearheaded by Sherman Alexie (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) to support independent bookstores. Authors Anna Badkhen, Joan DeJean and Ken Kalfus will be helping all attendees pick out the perfect holiday reads for family and friends. Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to get advice from extraordinary authors.

From left to right: Anna Badkhen, Joan DeJean, and Ken Kalfus. (Photo courtesy Penn Book Center)

Badkhen, a West Philly based writer, is recommending “Citizen,” Claudia Rankins’ new book-length poem on racism and how our government deals with it as a way to sort through the recent events in Ferguson, Mo.

So, remember to attend Penn Book Center’s Indies First Small Business Saturday event on November 29th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and as part of the Small Business Saturday package Penn Book Center will be offering a two for one Holiday Sale on titles from the Everyman’s Library and a selection of cookbooks! Mulled wine, hot cider, and holiday treats will be served as well.

– Andrew Foronda

EDITOR’S NOTE: Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to kick off your holiday shopping and support local businesses. Many of them will have special events and offers on Nov. 29, including businesses like Baltimore Pet Shoppe, VIX Emporium and others. Please check this page for more information.

Snow is falling in Philadelphia and we hope that everyone who is traveling today for Thanksgiving has a safe trip. Those who will be celebrating the holiday here will probably find the information below useful. Happy Thanksgiving!

City offices will be closed this Thursday and public schools will be closed Thursday and Friday. Libraries will close on Wednesday at 3 p.m. and will remain closed on Thursday. There will be no trash and recycling collection on Thursday. Post offices will also be closed and there will be no mail delivery on Thursday. And here’s information on Thanksgiving SEPTA service and hours for some local stores, cafes and restaurants. Please note that most restaurants will be closed on Thursday but will reopen on Friday (some will be serving special brunch on Friday!).

SEPTA
Thursday – Buses, trolleys, regional rail operate on Sunday schedule. Market-Frankford & Broad Street Line service will operate on a special schedule. All night train service will be available beginning Thursday at 12:01 a.m. Regular Owl Bus service will resume Friday at 12:01 a.m.

Friday – Many SEPTA Bus and Trolley Routes will operate on a modified weekday schedule. Specific route service information is available on printed timetables and at www.septa.org  Continue Reading

If you want to get really fresh ingredients for that Thanksgiving feast, you should check out these pre-Thanksgiving farmers’ markets in West Philly. This will be the last weekday market of the season at Clark Park and 58th and Chester.

• Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore) – Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• 52nd and Haverford – Open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• 58th and Chester – Open 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on local farmers’ markets visit The Food Trust website.

Where an old, grand church building stood for 136 years until last December there is a glass box now. Well, at least it’s a useful box.

Many of our readers will be excited to know that the new retail space at the corner of 40th and Sansom was completed earlier this month and already started welcoming its first occupants. Dunkin’ Donuts, Zesto Pizza, and Jake’s Sandwich Board already opened their doors. Hai Street Kitchen, a Japanese burrito shop, is coming in early 2015, according to Philly.com’s The Insider.

West Philly musicians Sterling Duns and RB Ricks have released a single in response to the events in Ferguson, Mo. “Dr. X.” was uploaded to YouTube in anticipation of the verdict in the grand jury investigation of police officer Darren Wilson.

A handful of protests are expected today in Philadelphia. The group People Utilizing their Real Power (PURP) (Facebook page) is leading a rally, along with clergy, that is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. From City Hall, the rally is expected to move along North Broad Street to Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

Here is “Dr. X”:

UPDATE 2 (8:35 p.m.): Several pets were also affected by today’s fire at 51st and Ludlow. The Red Paw Emergency Relief Team were on the scene searching for cats missing after the fire. Sadly, two cats perished in the fire and two more are still missing:

UPDATE on S.51st Street: Sadly 2 cats did not survive, 2 cats still missing. We will search again in the morning.

— Red Paw Relief Team (@RedPawRelief) November 25, 2014

We are on-scene searching for 3 missing cats from a fire on the 100blk of S.51st St in #Philly pic.twitter.com/6euxeMBJwN

— Red Paw Relief Team (@RedPawRelief) November 25, 2014

UPDATE: Red Cross is assisting six people affected by the fire. We’re trying to confirm neighbors’ information that no one was injured in the fire.

4:40 p.m.: West Philly Local readers are reporting a fire at a three-story duplex at the corner of 51st and Ludlow. Smoke is coming out of the 2nd and 3rd floor windows. Fire fighters are on the scene.

Photos by Matty Starrdust.