Love Your Local: Make the heart of our community beat faster

Tallahassee-Leon County has a special place in my heart. From the award-winning parks and outdoor adventures to the innovations that thrive from our world-class universities and research institutions, there are many incredible and unique qualities that make our community strong.

But what I love most about this time of year is exploring the unique local businesses that help fuel our economic vitality.

At the Office of Economic Vitality (OEV), Tallahassee-Leon County’s economic development agency, supporting and celebrating local businesses is one of our priorities. For this reason we launched the Love Your Local initiative. Love Your Local illuminates local businesses in Tallahassee-Leon County and encourages residents and visitors alike to show love for our local businesses by supporting them. This year marks the fourth year the Office of Economic Vitality is consciously celebrating local businesses, and every year I discover a new retail store, restaurant, or experience.

November 27th marks the Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday takes place every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and serves as a stepping stone into the Christmas shopping season for many small, local businesses. Make no mistake – local shopping benefits our community year round, but there’s no better time to pick local vendors first than during the busiest Christmas shopping weekend of the year.

Our local businesses offer unique products and services that make them special, and beyond the products they offer, they continue to make a huge contribution to our community and the local economy. They are built, owned, and operated by your neighbors. So before you go to any major store or online retailer outside of our community, join the Love Your Local movement.

Here are six easy ways to love your place this small business Saturday, all year round:

Travel outside of your comfort zone to discover an extraordinary local corner shop. Experience the real Tallahassee-Leon County through our local businesses that are an extension of our vibrant and charming community.

Make a commitment to make at least one purchase from a local retailer. For every dollar spent in a local store, about 67 cents stays in the community. To view the extensive list of local small businesses in our community, visit our local business directory at https://oevforbusiness.org/business-directory.

Get to know the owners and staff to make your experience more meaningful. After all, they’re your neighbors.

Shop conveniently. Support local businesses from the comfort of your car or from home with options like roadside pickup and delivery.

Buy gift cards from local businesses in-store or online. They make great gifts to share with loved ones.

Increase your support. Join Love Your Local on social media using the hashtags #LoveYourLocal and #iHeartTally and tag the Office of Economic Vitality (@OEVforBusiness). As you support a great small business retailer with unique products, you’re sharing your find so others can enjoy it too.

As many of us make plans for our Christmas shopping, we should all make conscious efforts to visit and support local businesses in Tallahassee-Leon County. Give a new, small business a chance or check out one of your local favorites. Whether you’re shopping, dining, or making new memories and experiences, be aware and support our local businesses here in Florida’s capital city.

These are the kinds of things that speak volumes for businesses and our community. Learn more about Love Your Local and visit the local online business directory at https://oevforbusiness.org/lyl/.

Cristina Paredes is the director of the Office of Economic Vitality for Tallahassee-Leon County.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

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