Don’t Forget VaHi Small Business Saturday on Nov 18

by Robin Ragland and Jess Windham

With two other articles in this edition of the Voice outlining and listing the many businesses that support our neighborhood and its efforts to remain a vibrant place in which to live and visit, it seems appropriate to remind everyone that “Small Business Saturday” is Nov 28.

We’ve all heard the phrase “buy local,” but why is it important to shop locally? Frankly, it’s all about economics. The non-profit organization Sustainable Connections said it best by highlighting that “when you buy from an independent, locally owned business – rather than nationally owned businesses – much more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms, all of which strengthens the overall economic base of the community.”

Residents of VaHi love our neighborhood and the rich options available within a walkable distance. Supporting our commercial neighbors perpetuates and heightens both our sense of place and the economic vitality of Virginia-Highland. Our neighborhood is home to a vibrant mix of commercial endeavors, from butchers and chocolatiers to bicycle shops and clothing boutiques, dog groomers, sugaring studios and everything in between. The neighborhood features countless retail shops, mouth-watering restaurants, and numerous businesses providing services along North Highland between Amsterdam Ave. and Ponce de Leon Ave. That’s not to mention shops at Rosedale and Virginia or those along Monroe at 10th, the Ponce de Leon corridor, and Amsterdam Walk.

Together, these businesses employ hundreds of Atlantans and purchase merchandise from local creators and global providers alike. We have the world at our doorstep and our local businesses bring it to us.

Thanksgiving confronts us with the best of problems: what to eat! I encourage you to explore the shops in VaHi to help lighten the burden of Thanksgiving cooking, because there are amazing take-home and dine-in options available from Monroe to Amsterdam to Ponce.

Once you get past the big day of food and family, Shop Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28th! Small Business Saturday is an event officially hosted by American Express.  Whether you use AmEx or not, Shop Small presents a wonderful opportunity to unwind, get some fresh air, and walk off some of those marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes. You could park your bike at North Highland Park, then explore the gems that our local vendors have stocked for your perusing pleasure in order to get a leg up on Christmas and Hanukkah shopping. We even have some new kids on the block – can you spot them?

Robin Ragland and Jess Windham are VHCA Board Members.