NEW YORK (AP) — With the holiday shopping season upon us, actor and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda is encouraging people to take part in Small Business Saturday, an effort to shop at local, independent stores on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Growing up in the neighborhood of Washington Heights, the award-winning actor and “Hamilton” creator said small businesses were a staple in the neighborhood.

"I think New York City is better when it's full of small businesses. I think the world is better. I grew up in a neighborhood that was dotted with small businesses,” Miranda said at a recent pop-up shop put on by American Express, creator of Small Business Saturday.

“That's a part of what makes New York special and makes the world special, is those places you can't find anywhere else in the world," he said.

This year, he also became a small business owner by teaming up with a group that includes theater owner James Nederlander to purchase the Drama Book Shop, a century-old store in the theater district that was in danger of closing due to high rent prices. The new location nearby will open in March.