Shop Indie Local Week and Holiday Season, it’s way more than Shop Small Saturday

Guest post by Jen Risley, AMIBA Thank you for your commitment to building the local economy movement! Wishing you an inspiring Shop Indie Local Week with the entire community. My cat Shamu (above) can’t wait for Plaid Friday! One practical step: #ShopIndieLocal It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Any local business or group can start by sharing social […]

A cat wearing a plaid bandana shown over a background of Shop Indie Local graphics

Guest post by Jen Risley, AMIBA

Thank you for your commitment to building the local economy movement!

Wishing you an inspiring Shop Indie Local Week with the entire community. My cat Shamu (above) can’t wait for Plaid Friday!

One practical step: #ShopIndieLocal

It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Any local business or group can start by sharing social media posts announcing your plans and adding #ShopIndieLocal to your posts.

American Independent Business Alliance's Shop Indie Local 2023 Holiday Campaign presented by The Local Crowd

Get ready, get set, get indie local!

Not just Saturday: Plaid Friday through Giving Tuesday

The week after Thanksgiving is a super busy one for the Shop Indie Local movement as we celebrate Plaid Friday, Small Business Saturday, Artists Sunday, Cider Monday, and Giving Tuesday.

Invite Independent Businesses to Plaid Friday

From TLC Monadnock: We invite businesses to serve as Plaid Friday Hubs in the Monadnock Region, NH. Back in 2009, what started with three hubs has grown to over thirty each year. View our invitation and adapt it to work for you!

Learn more: Plaid Friday

Artists Sunday: Celebrating Local Artists, Creators, and Performers

From Artists Sunday: Artists Sunday, falling on November 26 this year, is the celebrated day after Thanksgiving dedicated to supporting local artists, creators, and performers. This year marks the fourth annual Artists Sunday, a unique shopping experience featuring over 4,000 professional artists and more than 500 non-profit art organizations, municipalities, and commercial entities across the nation.

“This Artists Sunday, let’s come together to celebrate and support the artists in our communities. It’s a day to fill our lives with beauty, creativity, and joy,” states Christopher V. Sherman, Executive Director of Artists Sunday

Learn more: Artists Sunday

Why Cider Monday Matters

Celebrate Cider Monday to bring attention to the effects of online sales on your community. You love buying local, but the next thing you know … CLICK, you purchased that blender online from a business far from your community. It’s so easy! And your one purchase won’t really make a difference… or will it?

Learn more: Cider Monday

Unleash Generosity on Giving Tuesday

From Giving Tuesday: Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor out, or showing up for an issue or people we care about, we each have something to contribute. Identify your gifts, pick a cause that gets you fired up, and give back. Each seemingly small act turns a ripple into a wave of good, transforming society and building the world we all want to live in.

Learn more: Giving Tuesday

Get more ideas, graphics and support

When you become a partner for the holidays, you’ll join 150 Shop Indie Local Holiday Campaign partners from 42 states, including SmallBizSurvival! You’ll also find downloadable logos and other images. You can adapt our templates in Canva including Square Images, Banner Images and Mobile Video. There’s no deadline, and it’s definitely not too late to join.

Graphics for Artists Sunday, Plaid Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cider Monday and Giving Tuesday shown on repeat.

Get graphics and idea support from AMIBA Shop Indie Local.

Expand your November and beyond:

Native American Heritage Month

From First Nations Development Institute: Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with First Nations! This month and all year, we recognize and honor Native contributions, history, culture, and ingenuity. We’ll be sharing ways to support Indigenous leaders, authors, creators, and communities all month, including:

  • How to be an ally to Native Americans by reclaiming Native truth and challenging stereotypes.
  • Resources to learn about Native American heritage, culture, and issues.
  • How to support Native-owned businesses in your holiday shopping.
  •  Opportunities for your donation to make the largest possible impact for Native communities.

View the Facebook post

Neighborhood Toy Store Month

From ASTRA: Local toy stores aren’t just places where families shop; they are centers of creativity, imagination, and learning.

Learn more: Neighborhood Toy Store Month

Join the Choose Indie Local Movement for the next year

Get ready for year-round ideas and support with next year’s Choose Indie Local campaigns. Our Choose Indie Local program inspires and supports community members to boost the ripple effect of economic and community benefits we receive when we spend and invest dollars at locally owned businesses. Let’s make ripples!

To give us a jump start, we’re announcing our 2024 campaigns today.

  • Choose Black-Owned
  • Choose Indie Sustainable
  • Move Your Money: Bank Local, Invest Local
  • Bicycling Means Business
  • Choose Indie Pride
  • Independents Month
  • Eat Indie Local
  • Choose Indie Art
  • Shop Indie Local

Think of the list above as a menu of options. Choose the campaigns that align with your overall goals and sign on to participate in one, two, or all nine.

What partners receive:

You’ll receive a list of resources to help you establish your goals and leverage each theme you sign up for.
We’ll list your business/organization as a partner on our campaign webpage(s).
One month leading up to the campaign and weekly once our campaign starts, you’ll receive updates to inspire you and keep your campaign momentum strong.

Sign onto Shop Indie Local for 2024 .

Subscribe to SmallBizSurvival for more Shop Indie Local updates throughout the year.