You may have heard it said before but small businesses are the heart of a community. They add life, character and creativity plus so many other benefits to the communities they are a part of. As we approach the holiday season, I wanted to share a few reasons why it’s so important to shop small businesses in Seattle or whatever community you are a part of.
Shop Local and Support Your Friends & Family
No doubt you know someone with a side hustle or a small business. Whether it’s your neighbor who makes candles or your local grower at the farmer’s market, shopping local helps support those in your local community.
When you shop small and support local businesses the impact is huge! My husband and I run a Seattle small business making homemade ceramics and for over a year now we have put our hard work into growing this small business so it can support our family. Every time we hear our phone ding with the sound of another order, we look at each other with excitement. We truly celebrate each purchase our customers make! Every sale we make, allows us to keep going another day and each day our dream solidifies.
Small Businesses Provide More Product Diversity
It’s true! Products you find by shopping small will be unlike any products you buy at a chain store and makes the experience and meaning behind the item that much more special.
At our pottery studio no two pieces we create are exactly alike. The biggest gifts an artist can give you is their attention and their time. When you buy a handmade piece, you know that at one point 100% of the artist's attention was invested in this single piece. You truly have a little piece of the artist.
In ceramics, we call this kind of work "small batch ceramics." This means simply that it is not mass produced. Mass produced pottery is often made from molds and every piece comes out alike. While this is no doubt practical for some things it doesn't carry the magic, the fingerprints and the love as handmade ceramic pieces. The careful craftsmanship, time, and luxury materials are what make our pieces so valuable. Yes, you can find pottery and purchase from big box stores this holiday season but there is something so special about shopping small and shopping handmade.
Want to learn more about handmade ceramic pottery process? Check out our 10 step pottery process here!
Shop Small & Foster Real Connections with Local Owners
As a small business owner, I love talking about my work any chance I get. Because I love what I do I can’t help but want to share that with the rest of the world! Owning my own small business has given me the opportunity to create relationships with some of the most incredible people. From the other small businesses in Seattle where we source our materials, to all of the wonderful customers we’ve met along the way, we have formed some amazing relationships.
When you shop small, you get the chance to interact with other people in your community. People who share similar interests or who want to provide value and joy in your life. The next time you are holiday shopping or browsing your local shop, take some time to get to know the owners and employees. You never know where those relationships might take you.
You Get More Personalized Customer Service
One of the biggest advantages of shopping small is the customer service. Whether you’re checking out at your local shop or you need assistance with a product or order, the customer service you’ll receive is unmatched. Oftentimes the owners or creators themselves are the ones handling the transaction or shipping out your goods so there is an extra level of detail and care that goes into each interaction.
Shopping local has so many benefits, not just for the small business owner, but also for you as the customer. From fostering connection, to supporting loved ones there are so many reasons to shop local this holiday season!
Want to get ahead on your holiday shopping? Browse our online store and find the perfect homemade pottery pieces for your loved ones this season!