Inside the Birch Tree House and Garden Saturday in Roslindale, Susan Terrey said her family often visits the shop but they made sure to come in specifically that day to support small businesses.

Buying from a small business, especially on Small Business Saturday, feels like they are supporting a person rather than a faceless corporation, she said.

“The money actually goes to someone who lives in the neighborhood,’’ said Joseph Terrey, her 13-year-old son, who explored the shop with his parents and 12-year-old sister.

Customers and business owners praised the vision and execution of Small Business Saturday, an annual shopping holiday held the Saturday after Thanksgiving as a counterpoint to big-box stores and online shopping.

“It’s reminding the consumers that they need to shop like our jobs depend on it, because they do,’’ said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.

Jessen Fitzpatrick, co-owner of the Salmagundi hat shop in Jamaica Plain, said Small Business Saturday is typically one of the busiest days of the year for him. Fedoras, cloches, and berets were piled to the ceiling — 3,000 hats on the main floor, said Fitzpatrick, with another 9,000 in the storeroom downstairs, and 30 to 35 percent made in-house.

“Look at all the hats displayed, how many options,’’ said Tanya Chermak, a Jamaica Plain resident who was shopping for a hat with her son who was visiting from New York. “I guess you can go to Saks or Neiman’s, but you wouldn’t have this many hats, you wouldn’t have this kind of service. They really take care of you here.’’

Business owners emphasized their mission to provide personalized service.

“Every time people walk into the store, it might take a minute, but I know who they are and they know who I am,’’ said Steve Murakishi, owner of Fire Opal in Jamaica Plain, who said that his store does 25 to 28 percent of its annual business in December.

To that end, Murakishi said he tries to actively participate in the community. For instance, he said, he carries items by MassArt jewelers, supports a local girls softball team, and will be joining about 24 other Jamaica Plain businesses to donate a portion of proceedings to charity on Dec. 3.

“As small businesses, to take a percentage out of your first Saturday of the month — I don’t want to necessarily call it a sacrifice, but it puts a perspective on what we’re doing,’’ said Murakishi. “We’re here to be part of the community.’’

Jeff Mello and Paul Daigneault explored items in the On Centre gift shop, one of the couple’s favorite stores in their former Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Their 15-year-old son was getting a haircut at Sal’s Barbershop across the street — the only barbershop the teen has ever patronized, according to Mello.

“You know that you’re directly benefiting people who are keeping the downtown of the neighborhood alive and vibrant,’’ said Mello.

“We noticed that this year in particular, during the week and last weekend, people were saying ‘We’re coming back on Small Business Saturday to do our holiday shopping,’’’ said Philip Celeste, owner of On Centre.

Later that day, to a festive crowd of families in Roslindale’s Adams Park, Mayor Martin J. Walsh praised small businesses as “the lifeblood of our community’’ before the lighting of a Christmas tree.

Many of the neighborhood’s small businesses see a significant spike in sales for Small Business Saturday — business that is crucial to them, according to Alia Forrest, executive director of Roslindale Village Main Street.

“They struggle throughout the year with the lack of daytime foot traffic in Roslindale Square, so the holiday season can really make or break a small business,’’ said Forrest.

“I think consumers are increasingly looking to spend a certain amount of their gift budget with small businesses,’’ said Hurst, who believes that brick-and-mortar stores have an edge when it comes to impulse buys in a way that the Internet doesn’t.

The key to the success of small businesses is to get consumers in there for more than just the Saturday after Thanksgiving, he said.

“If you do indeed support Main Street and small businesses, and you want to protect and preserve them,’’ said Hurst, “... you need to support them not just on Small Business Saturday, [but] throughout the holiday season and throughout the entire year.’’

Nicole Fleming can be reached at nicole.fleming@globe.com.