Which small businesses will you support this month?
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, communities and neighborhoods are coming together to support their local businesses. They are making purchases and spreading great word of mouth about local establishments they’re supporting — and we love to see it! From restaurants to bookstores, take a look at the small businesses getting extra support from customers, and entrepreneurs, this month.
“I am a small business owner that has been regularly supporting Fate Brewing Tap + Barrel for the last six years and during COVID-19. Fate Brewing Tap + Barrel is the original location for Fate Brewing, located in Scottsdale, Arizona. It has been our Cheers location for many years. The staff makes a point to get to know the regulars and makes the location feel like a second home.
Altogether, they have three locations. The North Scottsdale Tap + Barrel location is the smallest of the three and is the one that could use the most support from the community at this time. I truly appreciate the opportunity to highlight the great team that we have gotten to know there over the years!” — Ashley Estabrook, Chief Liaison, Know IT Consulting
“This month, we are supporting several small businesses that are all female-founded or led. The Sexiest Beauty has a killer lip mask. SERUCELL, for their amazing KFS Serum, and Aila, which is a plant-based pre-workout for women.” — Lynn Power, Co-Founder and CEO, MASAMI
“The business I am supporting during the pandemic is Skyva Deli. They opened their deli in the same month I launched my first tech startup in 2013. I have had many a team meeting and investor lunch there.
When the pandemic hit and they saw their foot traffic slide, I knew I had to do something. It started with virtual lunches where we would order from Skyva and get food for the team, just how we did pre-pandemic. I quickly noted that a lot of the programs designed to help small businesses (like the SBA’s PPP loan and U.S. Chamber Grant) weren’t getting to them. When I talked with the owners and they didn’t know about these opportunities, I knew we had to do more.
I shared any and every program that they were eligible for. We helped them apply for state and federal opportunities. We are keeping our fingers crossed! They make the best food in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. I’m looking forward to enjoying it next year and beyond!” — Sean Higgins, CEO, BetterYou
“I have found it necessary to support those within my own community who owns businesses that have quality products and excellent customer service. One is The Good Stuff. This company is owned by Crystal Brown and is an all-natural haircare brand. Another small business I support is AYV Lifestyle. AYV stands for Accent your Vibe. It is a men’s streetwear brand, owned by Anthony Koolade Temple.
I also love The Fresher Brand, which is a street-chic women’s clothing brand. It is owned by Anthony’s wife, Melody Fresh Temple. This couple also owns a store that holds both their brand names called AYVxFresher.” — Sherese Patton, Principal Publicist and Founder, SLP Media Relations
“This month, I can’t get enough of Bumble & Butter. I put their rosemary flavored granola on all of the meals I’ve been making at home since socially distancing. I eat it on top of my granola, in salads, and when I’m feeling indulgent — with a scoop of vanilla. Bumble & Butter uses ghee and other responsibly sourced ingredients. I love that! To top it off, they are also a female-founded small business!” — Abbey Hudetz, Founder and Creative Director, Oyster Creative
“I love supporting our local hardware stores in Washington, DC. In particular, I support A Few Cool Hardware Stores. This company is owned by fellow woman entrepreneur, Gina Schaefer.
While it can be tempting to order from big box online retailers, I try to patronize my local hardware store. It helps support the local economy and jobs. Local brick-and-mortar hardware stores also play an important role in our lives. You may be able to find what you need online for a lower price. However, when something in our store breaks and we need a part to fix it, we don’t want to have to wait several days for it to arrive in the mail. There’s great value in having a hardware store a few blocks away when we need it.” — Yael Krigman, Owner, Baked by Yael
“August is National Black Business Month! For many years, I have made it a priority to support local businesses. I am a member of the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce in Missouri and support its members.
I would like to highlight another Black-owned, woman-owned, local business that I support on a weekly basis — KG’s Inner Beauty Salon” — Christal McKinney, LMT/Owner, Massage Therapeutix, LLC
“I am encouraging support for the small business we recently sold to another small business owner.
My husband and I are the Co-Founder and Creative Strategist of ToMA Glass Straws, a small business that launched in March 2019. We went to Argentina for the birth of our first grandchild. When the lockdown hit, we were in Buenos Aires. We have been here since March and are unable to leave due to a travel ban until at least September.
We couldn’t access our warehouse in Portland, Oregon or oversee any pivot or repackaging effort. So, we made the decision to sell off what we could and close by the end of June.
Happily, a customer — who owns a bar in Astoria, Oregon — offered to buy the business. We just finalized the sale and will be supporting the new owners of ToMA Glass Straws. I encourage others to do so, too!” — Maya Frost, Founder and Change Coach, Switch Strategies
“I am supporting Beyond An Open Mind. This is a wellness small business founded by entrepreneur Jasmine Rondon. With trauma, there comes a time to heal in order to progress forward. Beyond An Open Mind is your one stop shop to tending to your mind, body and soul.
She sells healing stones, seamoss, sage, cauldrons and more. Everything is on her Instagram page and her website launches in August. I’m supporting her business because she is introducing a new initiative where she has a raffle for one of her products every Sunday. The proceeds goes to an entrepreneur and their social good efforts.” — Chanel Benjamin, CEO and Founder, They Love My Splash LLC
“I started a global branding and digital marketing firm 19 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An idea I am sharing with my community is to look at all the groups we are a part of — industry, trade, neighborhood, alumni, women, hobby, religious, and nonprofit. We are starting our own stimulus packages by agreeing to support and buy from each other directly. We will refer business proactively to each other and cross promote products and services via newsletters and social media. Here are a few local businesses I am supporting:
Posto: This is our weekly date night spot. We know all the servers and managers pretty well, so they are friends now.
Sugidama: Another regular date night spot! The sushi is amazing and the staff is so nice and friendly.
IL Casale: I know the brothers who own it and want to support them. They are a great family.
Talulla: This restaurant is owned by a husband and wife and named for their daughter. Their menu is delicious.
Hi-Rise Bread Company: In addition to bread and sandwiches, they now sell produce, flour, and fish!
Forge Baking Company: Not just for coffee and treats. They sell produce, too!
Alfred Harvard Square Salon: I’ve been going to this hair salon since 1989. It is an institution and they are like family to me.
Help your neighbors, and network, thrive and we will all get through this together stronger.” — Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder and CEO, Mavens & Moguls
“This month, I am supporting The Lit. Bar. This is the only bookstore in The Bronx in New York City. It is a Black-owned business, and they are in need of extra support, given the turbulent times. I value what they are doing for their community, and this is my little way of helping them out during these trying times.” — Jack Wang, CEO, Amazing Beauty Hair
“I support my local barbershop. Their name is Figaro Barbers and they are based out of Los Angeles, California. This is the best barbershop that I have been to. Their team spends a lot of time on your hair and prices are more than reasonable. I value this small business because if someone is too poor to pay for a haircut, they will not charge a penny. This was their policy since day one. That’s what I call selfless.” — Oliver Bravo, CEO, Best Lawsuit Loans
“I’m a big coffee fan and I try to support the mom and pop coffee stores where I live in D.C.
My all-time favorite is Grace Street Coffee. It’s a great place to pop in with my laptop and get some work done. Their coffee is amazing! They focus on single-origin, small batch, responsibly sourced coffee. As social distancing requires, they have now pivoted to online ordering and pickup. This allows me to get an amazing cup of Joe while on the run.
I like supporting small businesses like this because they aren’t focused on profits as much as they are delivering quality coffee. The baristas are friendly, knowledgeable, and go the extra mile with their foam art.” — Shane Dutka, CEO and Founder, ShaneDutka.com
“I live in Ashville, North Carolina. Over the past few weeks, I started ordering takeout from Rosetta’s Kitchen: a restaurant that specializes in vegan/vegetarian comfort food.
This restaurant has been here for 20-odd years. I know it’s tough going for restaurants in the United States right now, so I want to help support one of my local favorites.
I also know some of the people who work in the restaurant well. They always work extra hard to keep one of our favorite family hangouts wonderful. When I make a takeout order, I feel like I’m supporting them directly.” — Tory Gray, CEO and Digital Marketing Strategist, The Gray Dot Company
“As an entrepreneur, the small business I am supporting this month is Bird and Stone. Bird and Stone is a jewelry company. They utilize 15% of their profits to support women including widows or those who can’t provide for themselves. This company empowers women by turning them into entrepreneurs. Bird and Stone utilizes microloans to allow women entrepreneurs to start their own businesses. Some women entrepreneurs have opened up beauty parlors and teaching centers because of Bird and Stone.
I support this business by purchasing jewelry items and promoting it amongst my followers, friends and family. I further donate funding so that we may allow more women to pursue their dreams. Bird and Stone encourages women to take control of their lives. When women are empowered, it reflects on their families, their work, and a society as a whole.” — Amra Beganovich, CEO/Founder and Lifestyle Influencer, A&E
“I own a company committed to being local home experts with construction and remodeling services. We are based in Huntsville, Texas and have been serving Walker, Montgomery, and the surrounding counties for over 30 years. Here are a few small businesses in the area we support.
Farmhouse Café: One of the most important types of business we can support during this time is local restaurants. They create a sense of community and give us a place to spend a few moments away from the office to recharge.
Huntsville Steel & Fabrication: This small business specializes in steel fabrication. As a builder, we always want to find ways to locally source building materials. It saves on shipping and puts more money back into the local economy, helping everyone.
Lonestar Outdoor Power Equipment: This local company provides equipment rental and sales. It is new to the area and provides great service. It’s exciting to see new businesses arrive. We feel it is important to help them establish to further strengthen local commerce.” — Richard Lee, Owner, Lee Brothers Construction
“I support Brookline Booksmith. This is a bookshop that offers brand new and used books. You can find all kinds of books with different subjects. During the pandemic, I support them by ordering online. Their hotline helps make selecting books convenient. I’ve been supporting Brookline Booksmith before this crisis. I am gaining new insights and knowledge every time I read books, and I must say, this store is worth supporting wholeheartedly.
The COVID-19 pandemic has a detrimental effect on many of the businesses around the world. As a business owner, supporting other businesses can mean so much to others. It can help them cope up with their losses, and also motivates them to continue moving forward.” — Dennis Bell, Founder and CEO, Byblos Coffee
We’re here for small businesses. Use the coupon code FREEEIN for a free EIN tax ID filing with mycorporation.com.
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As a native Arizonan, Fate Brewery has delicious food, excellent bartenders and staff, and maybe the best beer in Scottsdale. Before COVID hit, we'd meet there for happy hour once a month. A definite must-try if you're in the Scottsdale area.
Thank you for supporting this small business, Chad!