Believe it or not, our holiday shopping days are already numbered. If you’re anything like me, while you love giving your loved ones a meaningful gift, you absolutely loathe spending hours wandering around a crowded–and often very warm–mall looking for the perfect gift. But what I hate even more? Buying mass-produced items that are often created in sweatshops or by the exploitation of workers. Instead of buying into this, this year I am choosing to buy the majority of my gifts from local makers. Read on to learn why I believe it is so important to shop local, as well as some of my local shopping suggestions!
When you choose to shop local, you are helping to support a local maker and their family. I’m not sure about you, but I would much rather see my money go to support an everyday individual, rather than a wealthy CEO. In addition to this, by shopping local, you can have a massive impact on the health of not only the local economy but the entire community. This is because these local shops and artisans not only hire local, pay local taxes, and source their goods locally, but are usually also dedicated to helping where they can in the community through fundraisers, workshops, and other charity initiatives. In addition to the economic and social impact of your local purchases, locally produced and purchased goods are not only of higher quality but are quirky, unique, fun, and very meaningful gifts as well.
All of that being said, the options for local shopping are almost endless within the city! Not only are there larger stores such as The Maker’s Keep and Majesty & Friends which sell a variety of goods from local makers, but an abundance of small specialty shops as well! Some of my favorites (to give and to receive!) include Shop Chop, Hideout Distro., Parcel and Prose, and the Little Plant Shop. However, if you are looking for even more options for local shopping, I suggest you check out the Old Strathcona and 124th Street websites for more local shopping directories.
And there you have it! Whether you’re looking for some fun stocking stuffers, a special and unique gift, or even just to adapt your everyday shopping habits, shopping local is always a great option whenever possible!