Virginia tax holiday is win-win for small businesses, customers

Whether you're a retailer who sells school supplies or an entrepreneur stocking up on basic office products, this weekend's sales tax holiday will be a boon for business.

Held Aug. 3-5, Virginia's tax-free weekend covers school supplies under $20 an item and clothes or footwear less than $100.

Click here for a complete list of tax-exempt merchandise such as binders, book bags, calculators, paper, pens, shirts, socks, jeans and sneakers.

“The sales tax holiday is kind of like the day after Thanksgiving," said Nicole Riley, Virginia director of the National Federation of Independent Business. "It gets people fired up and puts them in the mood to shop, and that's what the economy needs right now.

“The more we can encourage people to shop at small businesses, the more jobs we'll save, and the faster our economy will recover."