Were We Actually "Better" Back Then?

If we pause to think back, maybe to childhood, perhaps.......our communities, towns and neighborhoods weren't built on monopolies and a handful of mega-sized corporations, were they? I don't remember the existence of such massive buildings we have today; I remember going to the family-owned hardware store with my dad, where he knew the owners, and they always talked forever while I roamed the aisles of the most fascinating store ever.

Building your community, or killing it?

Sorry, not sorry..... there is nothing like seeing a town, a once-thriving and beautiful community, which courted a big box retailer, bent over backwards to bring them there, and eagerly spent millions to ensure the terms dictated by a corporation would be met..... become decimated and vacant.

Farmers Market Week 2024

August 4th - 10th, 2024 is National Farmers Market Week. We're celebrating this milestone by sharing the love of fresh food, eating better, and knowing the people who grow and farm where you live. We've got new graphics and images supporting our farm families, local growers, and markets across the country which provide Americans with a direct link to the people who feed the world.

Start With a Locally-Grown Tomato...or Two

Slow down. Yes, you....even though you are cruising along on your way home, thinking of the groceries you need to pick up.....instead, pull off the road at that little produce stand up ahead, or make a turn into an area farmer's market, and just.....explore. It's summer, and summer is for adventures and discovery, right?

Why Can't Consumers Find Independent Businesses?

PLANTS. Hanging baskets, coleus, those things with the big leaves, tall orange lilies, potted plants, flowering bushes....etc. It's that time of year people are buying and planting these things, right? Right. And where are we buying them? Does it occur to the average consumer to look a little harder for a locally-owned greenhouse or family farm, or are we just blindly heading down the road to a big box store?

  

Could We Be a More Focused "Local Movement"?

Thursday May 9th: Some days I pause for a few seconds and think.....what if I did this full-time, this semi-obsessive pursuit of small business promotion? 🤔 And then I think, well, that would drive people away from the page pretty darn fast if I was posting even more, writing blogs and dumping the chaos of stuff out of my brain. 😂

Choose Indie Businesses to Spend Better (Simple Truths)

Decisions about where we buy = conscious actions that shape our world. Maybe not today, or this week, or next month, but each of our daily choices casts a shadow or a light on the future. Which would you choose your footprint to reflect?

 

Read More, Scroll Less

On this #ibd2024 Eve, I have to post this startlingly simple image. Although I don't have kids, I work in a field where we see the good, bad, and ugly side of social media and technology, so this hit home. (PARENTS....if you can inspire minds, spark imagination, keep your kids from going over the toxic precipice that is online insanity.....DO THAT).

Independent Yarn Stores

Saturday, April 27th is Local Yarn Store Day, a celebration of indie retailers, lovers of handcrafts, and passionate people who are out there making the world a little bit better with their shops and stores. We recognize many of these holidays throughout the year over on our Facebook page; matter of fact, Independent Bookstore Day is also happening on the 27th, Local Record Store Day was April 20th, and there are countless other occasions every month.

Why THIS Bakery matters (and why our choices STILL matter)

8:30 on a brisk spring Saturday morning.....I've already been up early to feed and walk the pack of rescued doggies, but went back to bed, where to be perfectly honest, I could stay for hours. 😅

Shop Small, Buy Better this February

"The commitment to our towns, neighborhoods and cities happens with each choice we make." Welcome to February, the Month of Love, and our collection of images and reminders to download, share, and repost on your social media channels. Together we speak up with a louder voice ~ pass on some heart-shaped messages this month to encourage and reminder your fellow residents to support meaningful growth and strength in the zip code you call home.

Retro-style "Shop Local" Graphics with a Hip Vibe

"Love for local businesses" ~ rolling out the retro style designs for 2024, all with the message of spending better and shopping small. Because nothing says "community" like local support during challenging times....am I right?

New Year Goals for Shopping Local, Spending Better, and Spreading More Smiles

Thinking of the new year which is about to roll out in front of us like a grand red carpet...... what will we change, or how will we go about our daily lives? We can plan for things we never do.....or we can make ideas come true. What we pursue and support and promote is what we will wind up with in the future, so choose wisely, my friends.