5 Reasons to Shop Small & Local

November is the month that our lives seem to really speed up, as we hurtle towards the holidays. Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away and the shopping and holiday projects will begin in earnest. If you’ve been reading our Tour de Thrift blog and our Second Wind Cabin shop/blog, you know that we’re huge supporters of small businesses, both local and online. We also support buying second-hand, hand-made and vintage for holiday gifts. So it’s no surprise that this post is all about how you can support small local businesses during the holidays.

5 Reasons to Shop Small & Local

1. Discover a New Local Favorite. Have an adventure!

Get out and shop small and local Saturday, November 29, 2014…and beyond. Many small businesses are having special offers and extended hours beginning on November 29th. Take some time to visit a shop (including thrift stores, flea markets and pop-up shops) that you’ve never been to before. You may be surprised by what you find.

2. Support the Arts. Buy hand-made, second-hand or vintage.

By supporting local craftsman and artists you help someone live their dream. You’ll know exactly who your money will help. You’ll be supporting a small economy and encouraging more creative ideas.  We need creative folks to make life interesting! If you give second-hand, vintage or up-cycled gifts you’re also helping the environment by keeping stuff out of landfills.

3. Be unique. Give a gift with character.

It’s not always easy to think out of the box, especially during the busy holidays, but by shopping small, local, hand-made or second hand you’ll broaden your gift giving horizons. You’ll have a new shopping adventure to share with friends and family and they’ll have something thoughtful and unique to enjoy.

4. Support a Good Cause

Many thrift shops and some pop-up shops are affiliated with charities. By shopping at these places you are also supporting the good work they do for local communities and for people in need.

5. Feel Good

See reasons 1 through 4. Get out and shop small & local and do some good this holiday season. To help you get started we’ve included a brief list of some of the places we’ve visited and reviewed for Tour de Thrift.

Shop Small – Shop Local List

Stash Collective
234 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 232-2207
www.stashhbg.com

Midtown Scholar Bookstore
302 North Third St
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 236-1680
www.midtownscholar.com

Space
36 N Queen St,
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 413-3477
www.spacelancaster.com

Mommalicious
310 N Queen St
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 299-0827
www.mommalicious.com

The Scarlet Willow
320 N. Queen Street
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 945-5883
https://www.facebook.com/TheScarletWillow

BUiLDiNG CHARACTER (4o+ plus shops)
342 North Queen Street
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 394-7201
http://buildingcharacter.biz/

Fensty’s Indoor Flea Market
20 N. Third Street
Bally, PA 19504
(484) 366-3914
https://www.facebook.com/fenstys

Phila. Flea Markets
Various dates and locations through out Philadelphia, PA
http://philafleamarkets.org/

Brooklyn Flea Market
1000 Dean St. in Crown Heights,
Brooklyn, NY
http://brooklynflea.com/

Chelsea & Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market
Hell’s Kitchen
W. 39th St. & Ninth Ave.
New York, NY
Chelsea Flea
W. 25th St. Btwn Sixth Ave. & Broadway
New York, NY
http://www.annexmarkets.com/holidayshow/shoppers

Portland Flea for All
125 Kennebec St.
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 370-7570
http://portlandfleaforall.com/

Sugar Tools
29 Bay View St.
Camden ME 04843
(207) 706-4016
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Tools

The Merchant Co.
656 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 772-8525
http://merchantcomaine.wordpress.com/

Pinecone & Chicadee
6 Free Street
Portland, Me 04101
(207) 772.9280
http://www.pineconeandchickadee.com/

Goodwill Stores – Pennsylvania
http://www.yourgoodwill.org/shop/stores-donation-centers/

Savers Thrift Stores 
http://www.savers.com/find-a-thrift-store.aspx

We’ve written about places to shop small in Maine, Connecticut, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania on this blog. For more information have a look at some of our posts.  You can use the search feature located in the right column to help you find more information.