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Post by Merge on Nov 26, 2016 16:32:49 GMT
So far this morning we've been to the farmer's market to support local farmers and food makers. Bought some amazing muffins packed full of veggies, some protein-packed oatmeal, and two bags full of veggies. One of my favorite farms to support is very local, literally a mile from my house, and is run by West African refugees as a way to earn money to get themselves on their feet while they are settling in to our country. They are always so kind and proud of their vegetables, and they had the most beautiful spread of winter vegetables - greens, squash, radishes, etc. this morning.
On the way home we stopped at the local non-chain coffee shop to support them. Later we're heading up to the Heights to do some holiday shopping in local boutiques.
Anyone else supporting their local small businesses today?
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Post by ntsf on Nov 26, 2016 16:53:55 GMT
we did yesterday by going out to lunch after a movie.. local place. dh is going to lunch with a friend at a local place.. opened since 1849.. and in san francisco, you can't get more local than that.
I probably will do some more local shopping next week. raining today so a day to clean and do laundry.
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leeny
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,631
Location: Northern California
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Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on Nov 26, 2016 16:55:44 GMT
Dh is dropping me off at a craft fair and he is heading over to a locally-owned fishing tackle store.
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Deleted
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May 3, 2024 5:44:57 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2016 17:07:19 GMT
My favorite local bakery is closed today for the holiday weekend, but we supported them earlier this week by purchasing several loaves of bread for our Thanksgiving dinner.
If they weren't closed I'd go buy some more because I'm making turkey soup and their Asiago cheese bread is the perfect accompaniment. Next year I'll get an extra loaf and hide it until time for leftovers!
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Post by lisae on Nov 26, 2016 19:35:17 GMT
I love this new custom; however, I'm inside this weekend with a cold. Unless I buy something online, I'll have to do my small business shopping at another time.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Nov 26, 2016 20:20:10 GMT
We did!
We hit our local florist, bought some gifts, succulents, and had them make a nice long centerpiece for our table.
Bought some candles too.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,378 
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Post by katybee on Nov 26, 2016 20:25:10 GMT
Tomorrow, I'm going to the Renegade Craft Fair and then having high tea at a local Austin coffee shop. Today, I'm in my PJs working (  ). |
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kibblesandbits
Pearl Clutcher
At the corner of Awesome and Bombdiggity
Posts: 3,305
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Post by kibblesandbits on Nov 26, 2016 20:25:40 GMT
Local florist and dessert place, as well as two local clothing retailers and local farmers market. Stopped at a local roaster to stock up on coffee.
Same thing every Saturday. I fully believe in supporting local companies. My entire thanksgiving day dinner was sourced within 50 miles of my home.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Nov 26, 2016 20:48:18 GMT
The only "big box" we shopped was Amazon!
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Post by myboysnme on Nov 26, 2016 21:13:44 GMT
My mom and I went to a local art league holiday open house. The artists all had their various creations on display. I personally spent $150 and my mom spend probably about $50. I feel like supporting local artists is always a good thing.
Then we went over to a small bakery/deli and got some cookies and tea. The prices are high and I don't think this business is going to make it. I have been in there 5 times and 3 of them I am the only customer. Today the owner seemed dejected so I wonder if she's ready to throw in the towel. She's been open since May.
I would love to patronize more small businesses but alas, I'm already going crazy on credit anyway.
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Post by papersilly on Nov 26, 2016 21:18:27 GMT
We're eating lunch right now at a mom/pop sandwich shop. Kicks butt out on Subway or any chain sandwich place any day.
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Post by padresfan619 on Nov 27, 2016 0:58:47 GMT
My husband and I went to the opening of an acquaintance's outdoor/camping gear shop. He used to rent an office in the same building I work in so that's how we met and he always talked about how he planned to open this store. It was so cool to see it all come together and that he and his wife opened it on Small Business Saturday!
I slyly bought a few things for my husband for Christmas and had the shop owner hold them for me so I can pick them up Monday when I am by myself.
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Post by bc2ca on Nov 27, 2016 2:40:51 GMT
A girlfriend and I took a little roadtrip to a couple of sort of local stamp and scrapbook stores and then had lunch at a bakery/restaurant owned by the parents of DD's friend. Unfortunately the rain came and scared us back home.
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Post by winogirl on Nov 27, 2016 2:47:48 GMT
I didn't do any shopping today, but we did have dinner at a small local owned restaurant, but we usually patronize locally owned restaurants anyway.
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Post by 950nancy on Nov 27, 2016 2:55:13 GMT
We ended up at a football game today, so no shopping. I try to singlehandedly keep my LSS in business though the other 364 days a year.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Nov 27, 2016 3:04:00 GMT
My mom and I went to a local art league holiday open house. The artists all had their various creations on display. I personally spent $150 and my mom spend probably about $50. I feel like supporting local artists is always a good thing. Then we went over to a small bakery/deli and got some cookies and tea. The prices are high and I don't think this business is going to make it. I have been in there 5 times and 3 of them I am the only customer. Today the owner seemed dejected so I wonder if she's ready to throw in the towel. She's been open since May. I would love to patronize more small businesses but alas, I'm already going crazy on credit anyway. A local Up and comer bakery is super high priced here for our area--8" pies--$25. |
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Post by bothmykidsrbrats on Nov 27, 2016 4:33:48 GMT
I picked up some goodies for my sister, and for my stocking, from my LSS. I bought some wine and cheese at a local shop, for hostess gifts. We ordered pizza from a mom and pop place that is a little pricey, but we splurged today. Not local, but I spent quite a bit on handmade items from etsy. I would have spent more, but dang the shipping is outrageous in some shops.
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Post by leftturnonly on Nov 27, 2016 4:44:12 GMT
I have supported quite a few small businesses through QVC today. While still in my pj's. I'm pretty sure this counts for something.  |
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Post by leftturnonly on Nov 27, 2016 4:46:03 GMT
So far this morning we've been to the farmer's market to support local farmers and food makers. Bought some amazing muffins packed full of veggies, some protein-packed oatmeal, and two bags full of veggies. One of my favorite farms to support is very local, literally a mile from my house, and is run by West African refugees as a way to earn money to get themselves on their feet while they are settling in to our country. They are always so kind and proud of their vegetables, and they had the most beautiful spread of winter vegetables - greens, squash, radishes, etc. this morning. On the way home we stopped at the local non-chain coffee shop to support them. Later we're heading up to the Heights to do some holiday shopping in local boutiques. Anyone else supporting their local small businesses today? There are days I really miss living in Houston. How great to live so close to a vegetable farmer you love. My family does up in Delaware and I've been more than a little jealous for a very long time. |
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Post by Merge on Nov 27, 2016 13:15:59 GMT
So far this morning we've been to the farmer's market to support local farmers and food makers. Bought some amazing muffins packed full of veggies, some protein-packed oatmeal, and two bags full of veggies. One of my favorite farms to support is very local, literally a mile from my house, and is run by West African refugees as a way to earn money to get themselves on their feet while they are settling in to our country. They are always so kind and proud of their vegetables, and they had the most beautiful spread of winter vegetables - greens, squash, radishes, etc. this morning. On the way home we stopped at the local non-chain coffee shop to support them. Later we're heading up to the Heights to do some holiday shopping in local boutiques. Anyone else supporting their local small businesses today? There are days I really miss living in Houston. How great to live so close to a vegetable farmer you love. My family does up in Delaware and I've been more than a little jealous for a very long time. No farmers out where you live? I would think there would be more in rural/smaller town areas than here in the city. The one I mentioned farms a couple of city-owned empty lots - the city allows them to use the land for this purpose (they are also considered community gardens generally and have water available). But the biggest farm that brings stuff up here is an hour south of Houston. They are a full time commercial operation. Still locally owned and operated, just much bigger. |
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Post by hop2 on Nov 27, 2016 13:23:44 GMT
My husband and I went to the opening of an acquaintance's outdoor/camping gear shop. He used to rent an office in the same building I work in so that's how we met and he always talked about how he planned to open this store. It was so cool to see it all come together and that he and his wife opened it on Small Business Saturday! I slyly bought a few things for my husband for Christmas and had the shop owner hold them for me so I can pick them up Monday when I am by myself. He should hook up with he local scout packs & troops, one local store here gives a boy a %25 discount when he goes from cub scouts to boy scouts ( when he most likely has to buy allindividual equipment ) and a discount if they are going on high adventure camping ( philmont, sabbatis etc. ) He felt those were going to be his steady customers |
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Post by Merge on Nov 27, 2016 13:24:19 GMT
My mom and I went to a local art league holiday open house. The artists all had their various creations on display. I personally spent $150 and my mom spend probably about $50. I feel like supporting local artists is always a good thing. Then we went over to a small bakery/deli and got some cookies and tea. The prices are high and I don't think this business is going to make it. I have been in there 5 times and 3 of them I am the only customer. Today the owner seemed dejected so I wonder if she's ready to throw in the towel. She's been open since May. I would love to patronize more small businesses but alas, I'm already going crazy on credit anyway. A local Up and comer bakery is super high priced here for our area--8" pies--$25. I imagine it's difficult to balance pricing your goods at a rate that takes into account the time and overhead cost you put into them, but that will also be something your customers are willing to pay. That's why big box retailers put the smaller guys out of business - the sheer volume they do lets them sell stuff cheaply, and we've all become accustomed to getting things cheaply. It seems like the most successful small businesses either find a way to quickly increase their volume, reduce overhead or have lines of smaller things they sell that help keep the lights on. Or they start out part time. I spoke with a vendor at the farmer's market yesterday selling her line of homemade salsas - they are delicious BTW - but she is a full time teacher with school age kids! She teaches all week and then spends her Saturdays at farmers' markets and craft fairs selling salsa. Apparently the business has done well enough that her husband (who was also a teacher) quit and opened a brick and mortar store selling the salsa and other Texas-made items that they source elsewhere, but business hasn't been strong enough yet to replace two teachers' salaries. It's tough out there for small businesses, for sure. |
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Post by leftturnonly on Nov 27, 2016 21:06:03 GMT
There are days I really miss living in Houston. How great to live so close to a vegetable farmer you love. My family does up in Delaware and I've been more than a little jealous for a very long time. No farmers out where you live? I would think there would be more in rural/smaller town areas than here in the city. The one I mentioned farms a couple of city-owned empty lots - the city allows them to use the land for this purpose (they are also considered community gardens generally and have water available). But the biggest farm that brings stuff up here is an hour south of Houston. They are a full time commercial operation. Still locally owned and operated, just much bigger. Not close to my house, no. There's a very small farmer's market open on Saturdays that's a good 25 miles away that I went to once. Just not the same thing at all as an actual physical building you can go to when you actually need something or a thriving farmer's market that is worth the trip. Over the years, there have been little places that sold produce, but not by people who actually grew anything and I never found them worth going back to after I checked them out. It's been 11 years since Hurricane Rita and I know I haven't seen any since then, at any rate. Maybe there's something that I don't know about, which is entirely possible. But, there really aren't any farms that I can think of unless you count rice or crawfish. If you want to fish or hunt, I know all kinds of places to go! |
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