Our Fave Picks for Fall

Some of us are Team Pumpkin Latte and many of us are not, but there is one thing we all agree on at Unique HQ — we love Fall! We thought we would share some of our favorite things in Los Angeles, Portland and Washington DC, to help you get out and explore…

LOS ANGELES

Sonja’s Fall Pick: Cafe Nido

Why I Love It: This Silverlake area cafe is hands-down the new cool kid on the block. Just 4 months old, this is a great place to enjoy coffee and read a book (seriously, they even have books you can borrow or rent) or work. It feels like a tucked-away oasis in the city, boasting major outdoor patio vibes with beautiful tile and trees, which is why it's become so popular on TikTok... Which at times brings an annoying 'influencer at work' vibe, as they film their coffees from across the patio and take selfies, but also makes for great people watching.  

Pro Tip: The weekends are insane, go Monday - Thursday. Cute first-date place and a cool place for meetings.

---

Spencer’s Pick: Yonder Coffee’s Ube Cold Foam

Why I Love It: First of all, as a small business themselves, Yonder does an incredible job of creating opportunities to support other small businesses as well as local artists. They are constantly hosting small business markets on their outdoor patio, open mics for music artists, paint and sip nights, etc. As a Filipino-owned coffee shop they tie in a piece of their culture with their Ube Cold Foam, which you can add on top of any drink you'd like. My personal fave being an iced vanilla latte with oat milk, and it's SO delicious. Anyone who loves ube or has yet to try the magic of ube, I immediately recommend them to Yonder.

Pro Tip: Don't be lame by NOT trying it.

---

Lauren’s Fall Pick: Hammer Museum’s Made in LA Exhibit

Why I Love It: LA is my hometown, and I loved seeing the way it has inspired these 39 artists and collectives in their work. LA is having such a wonderful moment in the art world, and it’s partially due to institutions like Hammer, holding space for local talent (this is their 6th Made in LA Exhibit!).

Pro Tip: Make sure to hit the gift shop on the way out, where they featured even more local artisans and small businesses.

PORTLAND

Bethany’s Fall Pick: Pittock Mansion

Why I Love It: The view with the fall leaves is unmatched! When I visit, I always bring a blanket and pack a picnic; then I walk down NW 23rd to enjoy the festive lights and cute shops.

Pro Tip: Go at sunset to see a beautiful overview of Portland!

---

Canary’s Fall Pick: Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park

Why I Love It: It's a beautiful, peaceful break from city hubbub and you get to see all the beautiful colors of fall! It's open every day from 5am-10pm and the trails are very accessible, plus admission is free!

Pro Tip: Plan a whole day event and check out the Zoo, Japanese garden, and Rose Garden as well. Psst: There's also a secret garden! If you stay for the whole day, parking maxes out at $8 so it's definitely worth it. 

---

Carmie’s Fall Pick: Portland Japanese Garden

Why I Love It: In the fall with the leaves changing colors, the garden is so beautiful and has a wonderful overlook of the city (plus Mt. Hood if you are lucky!)

Pro Tip: If you love matcha, be sure to make a reservation for their Umami cafe! Such a fun experience before or after taking a walk around the gardens. Also you can check their website, your local library, or your bank to see if they offer discounted/free tickets. 

---

Church’s Fall Pick: Raven’s Manor

Why I Love It: This haunted manor bar is spooky any day of the year; but they really dress the place up for fall! They have unique cocktails with delightful presentations, and the staff is theatrical and engaging! 

Pro Tip: Avoid the giant line and book a reservation to secure a spot. During busy times, your visit will be limited to a maximum of two hours, so get inside and get ordering! 

---

Heidi’s Fall Pick: Mt. View Orchards

Why I love it: The drive itself - 15 miles of gorgeous scenic highways south of Hood River - is amazing! The views are breathtaking and the orchards are vast and full of endless apple varieties. You can cut dahlias, pick pumpkins, sample cider, and enjoy the breathtaking view of Mt. Hood.

Pro tip: Leashed dogs are welcome here, so bring the whole family!

---

Katie’s Fall Pick: The autumn spice latte from Kind Coffee

Why I Love It: One of my favorite things to do in Portland in the fall is hit up Kind Coffee in the morning for a delicious autumn spice latte and bagel breakfast sandwich (bacon, egg, and cheese on a sesame bagel is my favorite). After I'm done at Kind, I wander through the Tabor neighborhood and up into Mt. Tabor Park for some of the best city views and leaf-peeping in town. If I'm still feeling energized after my walk, I like to end my time in the neighborhood by stopping by the Portland Nursery on Stark to pick up all the seasonal goodies I need, like locally grown apples and mums. What better way to start your day than with good coffee and a pretty walk?  

Pro Tip: They have the best bagel breakfast sandwiches in town - get there early before they sell out of bagels!

WASHINGTON DC

Sonja’s Fall Pick: Somewhere, Navy Yard

Why I Love It: I’m a sneakerhead and streetwear lover, so I love checking out what new stuff Somewhere has. But the reason I love the Navy Yard location in the Fall is because they have a cafe inside the shop, perfect for the colder weather. Get a proper hot coffee and chill before you browse the merch!

Pro Tip: If you see something you like, get it. Their cult-like following means items don’t stay on the shelves for long!

---

Sonja’s Fall Pick: Hirshhorn Museum’s new Simone Leigh Exhibit

Why I Love it: This is one of my favorite museums, because they curate the artists soooo well and the circular architecture of the building makes for a very natural flow when walking around. Literally. And this new exhibit is exciting:“For over two decades, Leigh has embraced a polyphonic artistic vocabulary that elaborates on Black feminist thought, an intellectual tradition which values and centers the experiences of Black women. Informed by a rigorous attention to a wide swath of historical periods, geographies, and artistic traditions of Africa and the African diaspora, Leigh often combines the female body with domestic vessels or architectural elements to point to unacknowledged acts of labor and care, particularly among and for Black women.”

Pro Tip: This is a small museum, so very easy to visit after or before going to a larger institution like the nearby Smithsonian Air and Space Museum or the National Gallery of Art.

5 Reasons to Shop Small

Shopping local is an excellent way to show your support for small business owners and the local economy. Here are five reasons why you should choose to shop from small and local businesses:

#1 Supporting Your City & Neighborhood

Shopping locally helps to keep money in your own community, as opposed to funneling it to corporate entities. This is important for the survival of small businesses in your area, as well as providing jobs and boosting the local economy.

#2 Having Personal Connections with Owners/Employees

Shopping locally means that you will be able to interact directly with owners and employees, who are much more likely to be passionate about their products and understand your needs. This level of personal connection can provide you with a much better customer experience than what you would have in a big-box store.

#3 Experiencing Unique Products and Services

Local businesses often specialize in unique items or services that you won't find at chain stores. From handmade crafts to personalized customer service, shopping local is a great way to get something truly special and one-of-a-kind.

#4 Building Stronger Communities

Building Stronger Communities. When you shop locally, it shows your commitment to being socially responsible and helping your community thrive. This can have a positive effect on the real estate market as well, since local businesses create more foot traffic and higher property values.

#5 Creating Local Jobs

When you buy from local businesses, you’re helping create more jobs right in your community. This not only bolsters the local economy but also helps keep money circulating within the community—which is great news for everyone!

Hemp Healer

Since 2018, Oracle Wellness Co. has been crafting small batch cannabinoid plant-based wellness solutions to heal and protect. Hear more from Owner and Maker Megon Dee about making quality products with ethical sourcing and the highest intentions.

What drew you to creating Oracle Wellness Co.?

Once upon a time I created elevated dining experiences exploring cannabinoids creatively, but alleviating chronic pain through medicine provided me with deeper intentions. I created Oracle Wellness Co. to reclaim how I define my relationship with cannabinoid-based wellness solutions.

How did you take the first step?

I had just begun tapping into the medicinal side of my work as a cannabis chef in the Oregon industry. I helped a friend with cancer treatment side effects using medicinal cannabis-infused olive oil. I sent her the oil and suggested she rub it on her hands, as she suffered from Hand-Foot Syndrome (HFS), preventing her from doing what she loved most - painting. She soon called me crying!

The oil literally changed her life in minutes. She could open her hands again. Through tears she said, “I don't know if you know what you have here, but keep going. So many others need this too."

The first OWCo. product was Healer's Muscle, Joint & Body Hemp-Derived CBD Topical, made of all organic ingredients including hemp-derived CBD, shea butter, olive and coconut oil. Research shows it helps reduce muscle aches and joint inflammation. It has a nice scent, silky texture, 15 minute activation time and lasts up to 8 hours.

“Overwhelmed by the confirmation
I was moving into my purpose of helping others reclaim themselves through plant medicine.”

— Megon Dee, Founder

We hear you've launched an exciting product!

I am so proud of our first cannabis safety solution, an Intoxication Reducing Supplement for THC (patent-pending). This is the “EpiPen of Cannabis” - maybe you consumed an infused cookie by accident or you just want to try an edible but have THC hyper-fear, you will be able to control your elevation.

What message do you want to tell the world about Oracle Wellness Co.?

Oracle Wellness Co. is a legacy brand for those seeking plant-based alternative wellness solutions for depression, anxiety, PTSD, post-partum, chronic pain and cancer. We are honored to be a part of your journey to reclaiming yourself.

A More Colorful Place

Collective Heart and WORK+SHELTER create color therapy for the soul.

When Erin, the founder of Collective Heart, was laid off from her women’s wholesale apparel job after 13 years, she felt totally lost - that is, until she met Theresa, the owner of WORK+SHELTER, an ethical and sustainable manufacturer who employs (and empowers!) more than 50 women in Delhi, India to make organic cotton customized apparel and accessories.

WORK + SHELTER provides fair, steady income, a safe working environment, health and dental care, education, career growth and financial freedom.

Connected by their focus on ethical brands and dedicated to empowering women, Erin and Theresa felt like kindred spirits and the Collective Heart brand was born.

Collective Heart offers a line of total eye candy in brightly printed sweatshirts, tees, scarves, bags, scrunchies, pouches and home goods including aprons, tea towels and more. Made in small batches, these organic cotton goods make perfect gifts (to others or yourself) to bring a pop of color into everyday life. When you purchase from Collective Heart, you’re not only supporting a small women-owned business - you’re making the world a more colorful place.

Cork is the New Leather

Vegan leather is all the buzz these days, made of sustainable materials from recycled plastic to pineapple leaves or mushrooms…

The newest trend? CORK - water-repellant, stain-resistant and 100% cruelty-free, it’s the perfect buttery-soft textile to mimic leather, no skins needed from our furry friends. Harvested from sustainable forests through strict regulations, cork trees are the only trees that actually benefit from harvesting. Instead of cutting the tree down, the outer bark is peeled off, and the trees absorb tons of carbon dioxide. It’s a greenhouse gas-reducing powerhouse!

Meet Carry Courage and Yabisí, two Portland-based brands who embrace cork with handmade bags, wallets and more. The heart behind Carry Courage began in 2018 as a creative outlet for owner Marisa Simoes and is now a pioneer of sustainable fashion. Through intentional design, Carry Courage is modeled to allow more control over fair labor practices and utilize unique sustainable materials to create heirloom quality pieces.

The word for “tree” in Taino, the indigenous language of the Caribbean people. Yabisí founder Alessandra Jourdan (pictured below) embodies her Caribbean identity through her designs and zero waste efforts.

“My sustainability journey started in 2015 when I was a fashion design senior in SCAD. I was looking to create both a sustainable and conceptual collection that represented my values and my upbringing. I grew up between the mountains and shores of Puerto Rico and missed the unique connection I had to nature back then.

During my research, I found cork, a unique material with amazing properties that came directly from trees; a tree that actually benefited from being harvested. I created an artistic collection of cork clothing; a collection I still go back to for inspiration when designing my accessories today.”

Making a positive impact on the planet through sustainable choices and scoring a gorgeous new cork tote bag? No brainer. Next time. you’re looking for that perfect accessory, check out these two inspiring brands!

Gazzy by Gazzo Brings Big Energy

Meet the new retro-inspired athleisurewear: Gazzy by Gazzo

Megan Gazzo (pictured above), founder of Gazzy By Gazzo, creates pieces that can be worn from swimming, to yoga, to the club. Inspired to create something that joins people together with nostalgia, she's known for her fab 80’s and 90’s patterns, drawn from when she was a kid. When people wear her clothes, Megan wants them to feel free, joyful, and get that sense of childhood wonder back!

You can also ride that wave of endorphins with Megan’s live video workouts Gazzercise Power Sculpt HIIT which combine cardio, flow, weight-based strength training and perfectly-timed comedic relief with Megan herself. Gazzercise anyone?!

Becoming BPROUD

Meet the founders of clothing brand BPROUD and learn how they reclaimed pride in their culture through the brand that they created.

Kibondo, Tanzania is the birthplace of Japhety Ngabireyimana and Jospin Mugisha, cousins who grew up in homes without running water or electricity, hearing gunshots from the neighboring war. Their families gained asylum to the United States.

In high school, the cousins faced discrimination... “We were laughed at for our accents,” they said. “As we got older, jokes became more aggressive. We started to hate our culture. We wanted to lose all trace of our tradition. We didn't want to dress, look or sound like Africans anymore.”

“Now, we refuse to allow others’ words to paint a picture of who we are,” they said. “We are as African as the music, the beat, the melody and the tune.” In 2020, their concept for Bproud was born — a clothing brand to inspire people to be proud of their race, ethnicity, sexuality and gender identity and a microphone for the message of affirmation both Japhety, marketing director, and Jospin, art director, spread. Both are engaged in the design, development, marketing and selling of Bproud’s apparel: hoodies, shorts and shirts, with the collection expanding. Visit BProud at Booth #155.

“Success to us isn’t about selling thousands of clothes; success is saying we changed our customers’ lives for the better.”

She Serves Sips of Happiness

The refreshing story of Limonadita - the lemonade stand for lovers (young and old) of the sweet and sour:

Angelina, a first generation Mexican designer and ceramic artist living in Portland, needed something else. Something that made her happy and brought in some money. Something fun that everyone could enjoy.

And something that was a big pivot away from her first business Side Hustle Designs - creating jewelry, housewares and big abstract wall pieces. With her knowledge of the service industry and her love of bars and restaurants, she created Limonadita - a high end lemonade stand offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic craft lemonades using only fresh, local ingredients.

“It’s been pure magic. Dreaming up the lemonade stand and seeing it come to life has been wildly fabulous. I’m doing what I really want to do - provide people with a gorgeous beverage in a beautiful setting and just carve out a moment where people feel welcomed and cared for in this wild, weird little world.”

— Angelina Crawford, founder

Book this fabulous lemonade stand for your next event by reaching out to Angelina through @limonaditapdx on Instagram!

Refill, Please

We're proud to be partnering with Coopers Hall, an Urban Winery, Event Venue and Taproom located in SE Portland. It opened in 2014 as the first keg-focused winery in the state of Oregon. That means wine on tap (!) at Coopers Hall, CH Northeast and various bars + restaurants.

Since 2019, Coopers Hall bottles wine exclusively in 500 mL reusable and refillable bottles, as part of a unique program by BottleDrop. This is the only statewide refillable bottle program in the US!

Enjoy your wine and return the bottle to a BottleDrop location - the bottles get sorted, washed and redistributed to the breweries, cideries and wineries in the program, to be reused up to 25 times! This is the most sustainable bottle choice: 95% lower carbon footprint, 82% less water, and 92% less energy used than a single-use container.

Coopers Hall is a founding member of the Oregon Refillable Collective, whose mission is to encourage the use of reusable and refillable packaging because it’s the right thing to do for your community and the Earth.

Music, Makeup, Magic

Her music is seductive, rich and written from her own life experiences in love and her journey of becoming Kingsley, the Portland musician who radiates a glow in everything she does. Now she’s using her confidence to inspire others to be their best self with a line of luxury lipsticks created with Event Cosmetics.

Like most working musicians in 2020, the pandemic prevented Kingsley from performing on tour, so she set out to rediscover things that bring her joy.

Soon she met Katherine, the WOC shop owner of Event Cosmetics.

“A musician having a beauty product is common, but I haven’t seen anyone do it like me, having each song represented by a lipstick!”

— Kingsley

As they talked about the curveball that had been thrown at their professions, a light went on — keep looking at the bad, or use this time to create something good. From there the Kingsley Collection was born — three lipsticks named after singles from her album, “Crying On Holidays”.

“I get to make better connections and meaningful relationships with fans through this collection...These products add an element to my music in ways I couldn't imagine. I am promoting my music every time I talk about the collection and I get to be more creative about featuring the collection in music videos, reels and upcoming songs!”

Unique Success Story: Tea Drops

Since starting in late 2008 we’ve helped over 13,000 up-and-coming brands, designers and artists — and we’ve seen it all. One of the most rewarding things is watching people and their businesses grow over the years, from setting up small booths and selling at our pop-up markets to becoming million-dollar companies! Meet Tea Drops…

Watching founder Sashee Chandron build Tea Drops has been one of the most exciting things over the last 6-7 years! Her idea to disrupt and innovate in the world of tea came to her as she worked in Silicon Valley… “I was looking for an environmentally friendly, convenient, yet high quality tea experience that simply didn’t exist,” she says. By making an assortment of bagless, organic, whole leaf teas, Tea Drops sheds 15% less waste than traditional tea bags.

Sashee started selling at our markets in 2015 (pic below!), and we witnessed as she would try to pass out free tea with many walking by and ignoring her. But she kept at it, expanding and growing from market-to-market. Since her first market days, Tea Drops has done amazing brand collaborations with folks like Sanrio’s Hello Kitty, and has become a multi-million dollar business!

Unique Success Story: P.F. Candle Co

Since starting in late 2008 we’ve helped over 13,000 up-and-coming brands, designers and artists — and we’ve seen it all. One of the most rewarding things is watching people and their businesses grow over the years, from setting up small booths and selling at our pop-up markets to becoming million-dollar companies! Meet PF Candle Co…

Originally named Pomme Frites, founder Kristin Pumphrey sold at our pop-up markets for over five years as she perfected her offerings and brand. When she decided to focus just on candles, and changed the name to PF Candle Co, the company took off!

They are now one of the most recognized home fragrance brands, making about 5000 candles a week (!) in their downtown LA headquarters, supplying to stores all around the globe. P.F. have a variety of products now from linen spray to reed diffusers to body wash. The company now has a book, At Home with Fragrance, and retail stores in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

(Founder Kristen Pumphrey selling at Unique Markets in 2017)

As they’ve grown to over 75 employees, their commitment and passion for the environment and their impact has also grown. The P.F. collection is vegan, cruelty-free, and phthalate-free, and all of their candles are made with 100% domestically-grown soy wax. And all of the products are developed, produced, tested, packed, and shipped out of their warehouse in Los Angeles, CA.

Unique Success Story: Todo Verde

Since starting in late 2008 we’ve helped over 13,000 up-and-coming brands, designers and artists. One of the most rewarding things is watching people and their businesses grow over the years, from setting up small booths and selling at our pop-up markets to becoming million-dollar companies! Meet Todo Verde…

Founded by Chef Jocelyn Ramirez in 2015, Todo Verde’s mission is to create delicious and healthy plant-based food inspired by Jocelyn’s Mexican-Ecuadorian roots. The company started selling their delicious juices and food at our pop-up markets in 2016 and since then has seen amazing growth and success…

In 2020 Jocelyn published published her first cookbook, La Vida Verde: plant-based Mexican cooking with authentic flavor, which was an instant Amazon best-seller. in 2021, she opened todo verde as the official concessionaire for the LA Philharmonic’s Ford venue, creating the first plant-forward major concert venue in the city!

Jocelyn is now a recipe contributor to NY Times and an in-demand speaker, while Todo Verde offers catering, classes, and has their own packaged line of seasoning! We can’t wait for cookbook number two? :)

Meet the Maker: Q + A with Of Clay Jewelry

For our readers that don’t know about you and Of Clay Jewelry, tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

I’m Lisa Nguyen. I was born and raised in Oregon. I grew up in the small town of Keizer, OR, before making the move to Portland about 7 years ago. I started Of Clay Jewelry in the Fall of 2019 with the hopes to create an accessible, slow-made jewelry line. I also dedicate my time to giving back to the creative community by creating accessible and educational, small-business resources.

How did the idea for Of Clay Jewelry get started? How did you bring it from dream to reality?

I absolutely love jewelry and supporting small businesses, but at the time I was a newly licensed Realtor and didn’t have the budget to buy small-batch, locally made items. It made me feel excluded from being able to support local business and I knew I wasn’t alone. I believe that when given the chance most people would rather shop small, but oftentimes the cost just isn’t feasible. Initially when I began to practice my polymer clay craft, I was simply looking for a creative outlet to help me through the upcoming gloomier months as well as a way to create jewelry I could afford to wear and wear comfortably. As I began to make pieces I was proud of, I’d share them on social media and wear them out and about. Immediately after, I had a huge positive reaction from others and I happily began creating earrings for friends, family, and coworkers. Eventually, people were asking to pay me so l began charging for my work! From that point, I decided to bring Of Clay Jewelry to life and bridge the gap between fast, affordable fashion and high-end, slow-made jewelry. I put together an Etsy shop, created my social media platforms, a business email, and got to work!

You also create free educational resources and do business coaching for fellow entrepreneurs, tell us about how that came to be.

I grew up in a household that championed hard work, excelling in school, going the extra mile, and getting a college degree. It was the only recipe for success that I knew. Unfortunately for me and many others, the path to higher education and a successful career can harbor a multitude of impractical barriers. Many if not all of the barriers I faced had absolutely nothing to do with my intelligence or capabilities. As a young adult it broke my heart to feel so stuck when I knew I could accomplish so much. It broke my heart even more to know that the problem didn’t end or begin with me. People--capable, creative, thoughtful, smart people are held back constantly due to unfairly inaccessible tools and resources. Since coming to that realization, it has been my mission to help others gain autonomy over their path to success. Right now, that means showing new creatives and business owners the ropes on how I got started so they don’t have to figure it out alone.

Your favorite thing about the work that you do?

Wow. There are so many things! As far as my jewelry business goes, I love that I get to be creative with every aspect of my business. I want everything to feel special. All. Of. The. Time. I’m not sure why I’m like this, but I do it all out of love and care. With educating and coaching, I love seeing my clients’ progress. It is incredible what we can do when we have the tools and resources we need!

Do you have any employees, co-workers or partners?

At the moment I am flying solo. I will be adding a couple of lovely ladies to my team very soon though! In the meantime, I have two honorary, furry assistants, Bambi and Beau that work with me in my office, my mom who is always eager to help with the logistics of lugging my displays to markets, and my fiance´ who helps me with final jewelry design decisions and my many runs to the post office!

What does your network look like and how did it come to be?

My network mostly consists of small business owners, creatives, and polymer clay artists. With Of Clay, I’ve always had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do and represent. What has helped shape and grow my amazing network is consistently providing value to my community and creating opportunities for genuine connection with me and the people within my network.

What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs who want to grow their network?

Always strive to provide value for others and create opportunities for genuine connection.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started this business?

Newbie or not, there is no good reason to have ‘imposter syndrome’.

Describe an “aha moment” that helped you grow as a business owner?

Imperfections, failing, set-backs and the like are all part of the learning process. Keep going. Keep trying. You’re only going to get better.

Your favorite “get sh*t done” song?

Cheesy, but I’m obsessed with Tiesto’s song, “Let’s get down to business”.

Your dream collaboration or partnership?

No specific person or business, but I would love to work with younger students in a workshop setting where they can learn about small business, creative work, and have fun!

How can people connect with you?

People can find me on social media with the handle, @ofclayjewelry, shop my jewels and book coaching sessions through my website, www.ofclayjewelry.com, and watch my videos at youtube.com/ofclayjewelry.

---

‘Small’ Ways to Show Your Patriotism

Photo by Joshua Rodriguez

Americans have made a ritual out of celebrating the Fourth of July by shooting fireworks, grilling burgers and hot dogs, and donning red, white, and blue apparel. It’s ironic then, that our spending habits during this holiday do not reflect the “All-American” aspect of this celebration because they don’t actually support American businesses. Typically, most American flags and fireworks aren’t American-made. Every year, the U.S. imports $5.4 million worth of the holiday’s most iconic relic, the Star Spangled Banner, from overseas countries.

So what can you do this holiday weekend to help? Shop small, shop local! Buy coffee at a local-owned cafe, support a small grocery store or bakery, stop by an independent bookstore. We are all for a global economy, but this weekend we hope to sway you to make patriotic purchases by supporting small, local-owned businesses - which benefits our local economies, communities, and even us, as consumers too.

Photo by Camylla Battani

Here’s how being patriotic by shopping small creates a mutually beneficial relationship for consumers and local entrepreneurs: 

1. Circulates money into the local economy

   One study states that independent businesses return more than three times as much money from sales into the economy than chain competitors. The money spent at local businesses recirculates when business owners spend their money in their own communities too. And local businesses pay local taxes, which go toward public infrastructure like schools, parks and libraries.

2. Helps communities and small businesses flourish

   When we purchase from small businesses, they grow! This allows them to hire more employees, creating more jobs available to the local community. Small businesses are also more likely to donate to community organizations than big chains because they are invested in their community. 

3. Creates more conscious consumers

   Shopping local decreases our environmental impact and ecological footprint. Purchasing from a local business means that the business tends to source products locally. This lessens unnecessary packaging, waste, transportation, and traffic congestion. Ultimately, shopping small may reduce pollution and improve overall health.

To commemorate our independence and celebrate our patriotism, let’s not just spend, but rather, invest in our communities by shopping at local independent stores. We can create jobs for our neighbors and improve our community and infrastructures. We believe a big part of being an American is the commitment to lift others up, so think of it not as a purchase, but an investment in your community and local businesses!