Shopping local is the new Black (Friday)

11/22/2011 11:14 AM

By AmySue Mertens
Blogger

2 Comments - Add Your Comment


Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and one of the biggest shopping days of the year, marks the beginning of Chicago Buy Local Week. The City Council recently proclaimed Friday, November 25 through Sunday, December 4 as a time to shop at local independently-owned stores to help stimulate the economies of Chicago’s neighborhoods.

Unwrap Chicago via Local First Chicago, the City of Chicago, local chambers of commerce and local businesses are sponsoring the nine days of events and promotion. Unwrap Chicago is also encouraging households in Chicago to take a pledge that they will redirect at least $100 of planned holiday spending from chain stores to locally owned merchants. Their research indicates that by doing so, Chicago residents can redirect approximately $25 million into our local economy.

The West Loop Community Organization is not listed as an Unwrap Chicago sponsor or participant, nor are any of our other local community organizations, but I bet the local businesses would still love to have you in and shopping for the holidays. In previous blogs I have mentioned West Loop wholesalers who sell to the public, the Brew and Grow, the restaurant equipment stores, Takohl Gallery, and Threadless among others. We are lucky as West Loopers to have a plethora of walkable options.

I've attended symposia focused on The Small-Mart Revolution and other such writings. Local businesses play an important role in our society. They mean more to us than just the money they generate. If you are interested in taking the pledge, it can be found at http://www.unwrapchicago.org/recent-pledge-signers/ where you will also be entered into a raffle for prizes from local businesses. Let’s get the holidays started right by supporting our storefront businesses and shopping local.


2 Comments - Add Your Comment



By AmySue from West Loop
Posted: 11/25/2011 1:26 PM

Thanks, FRDA! I just did my first local shopping at The Fig Tree this morning...they are offering 20% off everything in the store today, and will be having another shop local event in the coming weeks. Threadless is closed to the public until the 28th for those looking for eclectic tees.


By FRDA from Fulton River/West Loop
Posted: 11/23/2011 3:56 PM

Great column about a terrific event taking place throughout Chicago. We did want to point out that the Fulton River District Assoc. is a participant in this program. We have included it on several of our weekly ENewsletters, Website events, Facebook and tweets. We are hoping to add even more to the effort next year and encourage all residents to shop locally in the Fulton River/ West Loop Area.