How to support small businesses this winter
BY SUOMO QUARSHIE
November marks the beginning of preparation for the winter holidays and festivities. This time often involves lots of shopping and gift giving, which serves as the perfect time to help and support your local community and get the perfect gifts this winter. A convenient way you can support your community is by shopping at local and small businesses. So here are some quick tips and recommendations so you can find the perfect places to shop this winter!
One simple thing you can do is to search on social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. By typing hashtags like #ShopLocal, and #SmallBusiness. These hashtags often bring you to many small businesses, and by adding more specifics, like city or state you can easily find local business to support. If you are not able to support by purchasing, you can always support for free by liking or sharing a post!
Another way you can support small business this winter is by hiring local businesses to help with things like appliances, snow shoveling, contracting and ect. During this time of year family may be coming over, or you may be so occupied that you need someone to help with the little things. By hiring small businesses rather than large corporations, it helps these small businesses gain traction and popularity, which later leads to more local jobs, growth in your local economy and community growth.
Lastly, you can use easy to access online tools to shop small businesses online and in person. An app that comes on most phones is a direction app like, Google Maps, Apple Maps, Ways ect. Similar to social media, searching for things like “local bookstore near me” or “family owned restaurant”, it will show you various places to choose from. Another website you can go gift shopping on this winter is Etsy. Etsy is a website that is purely for small business owners, and as of 2024 there were 8 million shops and 100 million listings, meaning there are so many unique things you can find!
This holiday season, when given the opportunity, look to shop at smaller businesses, because the little things count!
