It has been a very tough year for small businesses this year. Calgary has seen many local stores, restaurants, and bars close their doors. I can name a few of my personal favourites that I've had to say goodbye to as well.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was not very conscious of shopping locally before last year. I would steer towards bulk pricing and shop for convenience. It wasn't until we got city & province-wide pandemic restrictions, that I started to pay more attention to local businesses. Since last summer, I've been trying to seek out local options for my work life and personal life. I work with local printing companies for marketing material, and try my best to source client gifts from local businesses. I love finding home goods and decor to put around the house, from small boutiques in the city. Don't get me wrong, I still drop into big box stores, and occasionally splurge on an Amazon order but I'm finding more & more cool stores and services in Calgary.
Any small gesture can help these small businesses keep pushing through this third (and hopefully last) round of restrictions. A little can go a long way. I used to think "my tiny $_.xx purchase won't be much to help them survive", which may be true but there are other ways to help these small businesses. It doesn't have to break the bank!
Calgary has a lot to offer - all you have to do is look! I try to remind myself to look local first before resorting to larger retailers. Yes, there can be some differences in cost so make the shift to local where it makes sense for you. I definitely do not have a 100% locally sourced lifestyle - I would really struggle with that! But it's easy enough for me to tell my friends or do a quick shout-out. It's been a great way to try new things. It has been a blast! I never knew there were so many interesting vendors and restaurants to choose from in the city.
Calgary is ripe with cool businesses to check out. In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing some small, local businesses that I crossed paths with. If you see something you like, make sure you check them out and show support however you can!
