It’s the end of November, which can only mean one thing: Thanksgiving- followed closely by Black Friday. A holiday diphthong, the quintessentially American day of turkey, football, and family, is inevitably followed – and increasingly overshadowed – by the frenzied day of deals, discounts, and trampled shoppers.
Black Friday has been surrounded by a cloud of criticism this year, as commercial juggernauts like Walmart and Best Buy open their doors just as many of us would otherwise be sitting down to a family dinner. As more and more attention is drawn to Black Friday practices (for better or for worse), I would like to highlight another post-Thanksgiving shopping holiday: Small Business Saturday. Since 2010, Small Business Saturday has aimed to capitalize on the shopping excitement at the end of November and drive holiday shopping to local businesses around the country.
The spirit behind Small Business Saturday is especially important in a city like Detroit, where many large-scale retailers, such as Target, Walmart, and Costco, locate just past 8 Mile, unwilling to open their doors within the city itself. To fill these gaps, Detroit has a growing small business community, offering everything from locally made bicycles to clothing boutiques and vintage furniture shops. While locally-grown businesses can be marginally more expensive than their big box counterpoints, they come with many benefits missing from a trip to Meijer, like a personal relationship with the business owner and the knowledge that you’re making an investment back into your community.
So, if you’re in the shopping spirit this weekend, consider checking out some of my favorite small Detroit businesses:
This is your one stop shop for all things Detroit. From t-shirts to history books to local jams and preserves, everything in this place is Detroit-centric. They have a few locations, including the historic Fisher and Guardian buildings, and on occasion even offer free tours of the city!
Shinola is bringing manufacturing back to the city of Detroit, producing awarding winning watches, bicycles, and leather goods. While Shinola is definitely out my price range, you can’t help but admire the craftsmanship and quality coming out of this Detroit manufacturing operation.
Rebel Nell is a new social enterprise in Detroit, working to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for Detroit women through jewelery manufacturing. Rebel Nell takes what many consider to be an eyesore- crumbling graffiti -and turns it into unique and beautiful jewelry.
Known as Rocky’s, this bulk food retailer has been operating out of Eastern Market since the 1930’s and it only takes a visit on a Saturday morning to see it is still going strong. After being warmly greeted at the door, Rocky’s has all the local coffee, bulk food, old-timey candy, and made in Detroit pickles you could ever want.
These are, of course, only the tip of the iceberg when it comes shopping small in Detroit. There are so many great locally owned businesses to visit, and initiatives are already underway to encourage shopping small. I’m looking forward to taking time in December to explore more of them and take advantage of the shopping Detroit has to offer!
What are some of your favorite places to shop locally in Detroit (or your city!)?