Shop Small!
This little graphic came across my Instagram feed this morning and I thought it was the perfect addition to this post because it is so accurate. When you shop small businesses you truly make a real person happy.
About half of American’s either work for or own a small business. Small businesses are vital to not only our economy but also our culture. Small businesses add vibrancy to communities and provide opportunity.
During our first year in business we’ve had the pleasure of meeting a wide variety of business owners. We thought it would be fun to share a bit about some of the businesses in the form of a Main Street Gift Guide. We’ve found some cool stuff in our travels, not every item is from a business that is a customer of ours (not yet anyway).
Looking for a memorable gift that will be enjoyed for years to come? Check out Custom Cornhole Creations. They make the best cornhole boards we’ve ever seen right in Forest Lake. Their boards are sturdy, shippable, and fully customizable. The sets are a great gift for siblings to chip in together and give to the parents. If you can’t decide what design to go with, they offer gift certificates!
Have a foodie on your list? Treat them to a creation from Kiki’s Gourmet Foods. Kiki crafts batches of salsa, pickles, and beans. These jars of goodness are surprisingly sweet and surprisingly hot. We’re hoping to get a website up soon that will make finding the products easy, but until then checkout her Facebook group.
Through our work we’ve gotten the opportunity to try some things for the first time. Two things top the list, one is ancient and one is new, acupuncture and cryotherapy. Both are services that can assist with a wide range of physical and mental ailments.
Tess at Source Health Acupuncture in Columbus offers acupuncture in a relaxed environment and can help with so many common health problems. She made a headache of mine vanish in minutes. If you know someone who suffers with headaches, stress, digestion problems consider giving them acupuncture treatments. They could find relief in the New Year.
If you love someone who suffers from pain due to inflammation we’d highly recommend a gift certificate to Fit Recovery. Keith and his team are the only place offering full body cryotherapy in the north metro and people love it. Three minutes in a chamber that reaches -250 degrees has some amazing benefits. Gift certificates are available on Fit Recovery’s website.
One of, if not the best, gift you can give someone is time. If you have a music lover on your shopping list, why not plan a night out at Route 47 Pub & Grub. This place hosts great live music at least twice a week. Get a group of friends together for dinner and order some pizzas – they come with a one pound meatball in the center – yum. Then kick back and enjoy some music, they book both country and rock acts, so you’ll be able to find something you like. The owner of this establishment also does a phenomenal job catering events, so keep that in mind as you plan get togethers!
Maybe you are in the market for a splurge, if so Route 65 Sales & Classics has an indoor showroom packed with a variety of classic cars. If you’ve been dreaming of a hot rod pay them a visit and give yourself something to remember!
There is officially something for every budget on this list and we hope you will support these small businesses and others like them as you tackle your holiday shopping. We are passionate about helping small businesses succeed and look forward to meeting many more business owners in the New Year!