Love Local

Love Local This Valentine's Day

Small businesses are struggling due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Let's use this Valentine's Day to spread love to our locally-owned businesses who have been working overtime to provide our community with their goods and services in a safe environment. SHOW your love by shopping small for your Valentine's Day gifts, drinks, treats and eats. Find a list of gift ideas here and special Valentine's Day menus here.

Share with us and your community why you LOVE to shop local! Create an Instagram story or feed post sharing a reason why you love to shop local and tag us at @thisislakeview and we'll share it on our Instagram story! Tune into our stories to hear from your neighbors as we spread the love of shopping local among our community. You can also send us a video to be featured via email at info@lakeviewchamber.com.

Thank you for all the love and support you give our locally owned businesses and for continuing to prioritize shopping small.

Why Should You Shop Local?

 

Build Community

As you visit local businesses in your neighborhood, you are more likely to have casual encounters with friends and neighbors helping to build a sense of togetherness and community. As you frequent local businesses, you also start to get to know the staff and learn more about the people behind the products or services you purchase.

 

Create More Local JObs

Collectively, small, local businesses are Illinois’ largest employer, and they employ more than half of the working class in the U.S. (Source) Independent businesses also tend to be the customers of local printers, accountants, wholesalers, farms, attorneys, etc, further supporting businesses in the community. (Source)

 

Increase your real estate value

Neighborhoods with vibrant commercial corridors and successful small businesses are more desirable, which will increase home values. (Source) As more people want to move to a neighborhood, local tax revenue increases which can be used to invest in infrastructure such as schools, public safety, parks and more to strengthen communities and drive growth.

Stengthen Your local Economy

Each dollar you spend at an independent business returns almost 50 times more to your local economy than an online mega-retailer. (Source) Shop local to have your dollars go back into the community where you live.

 

Have More Choices

Independent businesses provide a greater variety of offerings and keep their community’s needs in mind. Plus, small businesses often have unique offerings that can’t be commonly found elsewhere.

 

Give Back to the community

Local businesses are more likely to donate to local nonprofits, neighborhood events and local teams. (Source) We know this first hand, as Lakeview businesses have donated prizes for giveaways we host, participate in give-back shopping/dining events and donate to our neighborhood schools for fundraisers.

Get expert tips from business staff & owner

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

 

Keep the Character in our Commercial Corridors

Each independent business has its own personality, bringing diversity to our commercial corridors that give them their distinct character and make them feel like home. Just think about the Southport Corridor, Lincoln Hub and Paulina Station. Each area has its own vibe which is created by the independent businesses that bring vibrancy and uniqueness to our community.

 

Help the environment

Independent businesses tend to carry more locally-made products and are located closer to residents to reduce transportation distance and air pollution.