Although we can’t escape the bigness getting bigger around us, we still have power in our pockets. So today, Sam the Pug and I will #ShopSmall at the local farmer’s market as part of #SmallBusinessSaturday. If you plan to shop small today, what’s on your shopping list? Or talk about anything; Sleepyhead here don’t mind.
the cats of jp: liquor store cat, by kthrn, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
I don’t plan to shop at all today (otherwise engaged) though I support small, local and/or family run businesses having worked at one for years when this Birdcage was a younger woman. Couldn’t always afford to offer the lowest price but the care that went into everything is worth something, too. There’s a fog in my brain this morning that only coffee will shake, I fear (and I usually abstain from the Demon Caffeine).
Good morning! I’m picking up a special order at our local indie bookstore, the Bookloft. I was impressed yesterday when they stuck to their schedule and didn’t open ’til 10A, even though I’m sure it cost them money.
Have a fab weekend!
In exchange for ‘losing’ money by not opening until 10, I’m sure they gained employee and customer loyalty. That’s worth far more than a few dollars.
This post made me a little sad this morning because it reminded me of the old book store I used to go to, where the owner had private selves in the back for me and my friends.
He would put aside books he thought we would like and say “here read this, you’ll like it” and we did! He was never wrong, he and his staff made me discover so many authors I would never have read on my own.
The story has a bitter sweet ending because he sold the book store to become a successful author and editor in his own right. But I still miss the place and always will.
🙁 Sorry to hear. Bookshops can be special places.
Aww, I’m sorry to hear that, Gigi – it sounds like a wonderful place.
Our local Laundromat has a really active book swap that has some of that quality – people bring in shopping bags full of books, and the managers will save some for particular customers who are fans (romance, Tom Clancy, etc.) and then put out the rest to share. I’ve found some fascinating stuff there that I would have never found on my own.
I own a small business (*very* small, one-woman operation) and I’ve spent the entire morning in the shipping department ~aka my kitchen table :-)~ packing and shipping orders to go out in today’s mail!
….Or I should say a one-woman, 4-cat operation, ‘cuz you know, they just LUV to help. All that bubble wrap and paper stuff…..
Do you ever have customer feedback about the cat hair stuck in the shipping tape? 😉 We only have one cat and I can’t seem to escape the floof!
Ok so of course I googled Faygo. My mind read “Fargo” at first, the best show ever made so I went from elation to confusion. They would not drink Faygo in Fargo.
My dad owns a small business, he does very well, so well that I cannot afford to shop there!
I do my small business online shopping. As a devoted knitter, there are a million of tiny knitting or designing shops that offer some truly gorgeous yarns. We just moved to a climate too warm for wool socks 95% of the year, so I’m having to find other sources to knit for. Knitting keeps me sane so I’ll be doing it even if I no longer need to knit work socks for my recently retired husband. Fortunately, my daughter lives in a cold climate, and my mom and sister love handknit socks, and there’s always good charities (like Afghans for Afghans) to knit for, so I’m sure I won’t run out of homes for socks.
I digressed, didn’t I? But anyway, I get most of my yarn from very small indie dyers, even though it’s often more expensive, because they do such beautiful work and offer such great service. I do it all year round, however, so today I’m not doing anything special in spite of all the lovely sales even the smallest places are offering. You get what you pay for, and small businesses offer more than just low prices. It’s a shame so many of them have been driven out of business by the big chain stores.
I have a co-worker who’s an avid knitter and–same thing–she prefers indie dyers and buys in small batches. She just make me a pair of fingerless gloves so I can do some photography work but keep my hands and wrists cozy (we’re in one of the warmest parts of Canada but it can still get just below freezing here). I can certainly understand the love of quality yarns because, my goodness, my new gloves feel so luxurious!
If knitting keeps you sane, perhaps you’re destined to open an etsy store that specializes in hand-knit socks? There are still plenty of us living in cold climates who would love a pair! 🙂
Why on earth would someone wanting Faygo have to leave Earth? Sounds like someone needs some Redpop!
I haven’t set foot in W-Mart in over ten years. I avoid ‘fast fashion’ wherever I can (e.g., H and a capital M for example) which, as an industry, is the highest polluting in the world second only to oil. I always choose local shops where I’m able and will often delay a purchase to wait until I’m in a particular neighbourhood because I know I can get what I want from a small business owner. My favourite shopping experience is finding something divine at a thrift or charity shop!
This year I learned to sew basic dresses, skirts, shirts, and pj pants so I can buy repurposed fabric or all-natural fibres and make my own clothes! (which still look great and now fit me better than store-bought)
My one failure is grocery shopping. I shop at a gigantic (albeit all-Canadian) mega store. I hate food, cooking, and food shopping. All I want to do is get it over with! There is little worse on the weekend than lingering over beets with the wanna hipsters at the farmer’s market. *shudder* If I could somehow hire someone to do the food shopping for me, I’m sure I’d entertain eating good quality stuff from local suppliers. ‘Til then, I do what I can in other areas. 😉
If you make me clothes, I will do your food shopping!!!! I love food shopping and cooking!!!!
I’m with Birdcage on this one! I love to grocery shop and cook, which I would gladly trade for handmade clothing and/or rat hammocks, which my girls chew through shockingly fast. In fact, my small business Saturday included receiving the exciting package of handmade rat hammocks that I’d ordered. Yay for small businesses and yay for people who can sew!
You’ve both got a deal! How far are you from Vancouver, BC? 😉
Kristin, I know not what a rat hammock is but I would love to learn how to sew them! Feel free to contact me via email at michpatt at outlook dot com and let me know what kind of design you like.
LOL, I thought I was the only one uncomfortable at farmer’s markets! (I’m a bit of an introvert) – it’s like if I make eye contact, I feel like I have to either buy, or make conversation.
Fortunately we have a farm stand right up the street where they just open it up in the morning and run it on the honor system – a cash box and a yellow legal pad. Well, and a dog – but the dog has never pressed me to buy anything!
Cash box, yellow legal pad, dog. Very. Small. Business. Has the dog turned a profit yet!?
Nope, but he is looking forward to 2016! 😀
Smartypants, you said it. I’m right on the border of introvert and extrovert and I find that each day at my job I use all of what extrovert I’ve managed to store up. By the time I leave work, I’m ignoring texts and phone calls and studiously avoiding conversations with other people, especially strangers selling something.
I would GLADLY buy from a yellow legal pad and a dog!
I’m not fond of any kind of shopping, really, but groceries are a chore. I’m so glad you learned to sew! It’s a very valuable skill that’s gone out of fashion and can be a lot of fun, even if you don’t make your own clothes. When I was younger, I made many clothes in the colors, styles and fabrics I wanted, instead of the fashion industry’s offerings. Have fun!
Thanks, 6Rabbits! Even just learning to make the pyjama pants has been amazing. I mean, c’mon, cozy pants WITH POCKETS?! It was worth learning to sew just for those. 🙂
I made lots of pjs! There are so many cute flannels and knits! I had a couple of patterns with multiple options that I used over and over for a decade or two. When I was in college, I’d buy solid color sheets and make fancy printed pillow cases to coordinate. I also enjoyed making clothes for my nephews when they were little. Good times?
NTMTOM, you have an actual pug? Have we ever seen photos of it? If not, why not?
Sam isn’t mine, he’s my brother’s, but I often take care of him while he’s away. I’m petless at the moment, but I have been thinking about adopting a rescue dog.
And you have seen Sam, or at least his back end. I took the picture used in this post at Cute Overload: http://cuteoverload.com/2010/11/26/mom-is-this-the-clean-or-dirty-laundry/