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Creating a Localist connectionLocal is connection. Our blogs are about living the life of a localist; the importance, joys, and benefits of thinking and acting locally; stories about our Oakland neighborhoods and merchants; and other compelling localist themes.
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The Raven’s Wing Magical Co.
When you read about "top reasons to shop local," one of them is going to be something like this: When you shop local you are actually supporting a merchant and your neighborhood. Certainly, we've called this benefit out more than our fair share of occasions. But...
Why I Shop Local For the Holidays
No, I didn't always shop local for the Holidays. And, when I saw this pic of Cynthia standing outside of her decked out Urban Indigo gift shop on Instagram, it reminded me of my evolving shopping attitudes. The Way it Was Once upon a very long time ago, in the 80s,...
RESIST AND ASSIST: A CASE TO SHOP LOCAL TO FIGHT INEQUALITY
SHOP LOCAL TO FIGHT INEQUALITY? When we shop local, it is most obviously an act that supports a small business and its proprietor. Yet, it’s so much more than that. It fuels an engine that can drive us to an America that is prosperous — and equal and just — for all of...
Holiday Season Edition: Oakland Indies Shopping Guide
Special Holiday Season Edition Oakland Indies Shopping Guide Whatever the gift-giving challenge, we have the solution: Holiday Season shopping in Oakland! Welcome to our Special Holiday Edition Oakland Shopping Guide. We hope it will serve as your go-to resource for...
Shop Oakland Independent Merchants
Shopping Local at Oakland Independents Are you looking for inspiration to shop local at Oakland Indies and to live local in The Town? Then you've come to the right place. We publish this listing weekly to drive awareness about Oakland Indies sales, events, new product...
Oakland Independents Sales & Other Things to Do
Day 4: Save our Oakland Independents Letter Writing Campaign We're into Day 4 of our fight for Oakland Independents. With all our So Oakland love, we're fighting for our Indie Merchants. Their future is in the balance due to the almost insurmountable difficulties of...
Save our Oakland Indies Letter Writing Campaign
Scroll down to the "Save Our Local Indies" Letter Template. We Need to Save our Oakland Indies We wrote a blog in July about the plight of Oakland independent proprietors. It was an impassioned plea for action straight from our Localist hearts to save our Oakland...
Oakland Independent Merchants Sales and Events
Why Shop Local at Oakland Independent Merchants? Shopping local is a small but profound action that has almost limitless benefits. For example, it: reduces our impact on the environment, generates equitable and sustainable economic growth, and strengthens our...
Oakland Indies Sales and Events & Other Things to Do
Why Shop Local at Oakland Indies? Shopping local has almost limitless benefits. For example, it: reduces our impact on the environment, generates equitable and sustainable economic growth, and strengthens our communities. In short, it enhances our own lives and the...
Local Shopping in Oakland: Indie Sales and Events
There is some outstanding local shopping in Oakland! And, each week, we publish Oakland Indies Sales and Events plus other happenings here in Oaktown. We hope this listing inspires you to explore Oakland and to shop local. We continually update this listing as we get...
The Problem with a “See in Store and Buy Online” Mentality
The Scenario: Go See, Touch, Try In Store First, Get a Deal Later It's referred to as "see in store and buy online." And, we’ve all done it. We’ve entered a local store, sought expertise and advice from the proprietor, and maybe tried something on. Then, we've checked...
Oakland Indie Sales and Events and Other Things to Do
Each week, we publish Oakland Indie Sales and Events plus other happenings here in The Town. Oakland has an abundance of talented, passionate, and beautiful local independent merchants. We think that they are hidden gems in plain sight. And, it means Oakland is a...
Things to do in Oakland: Indie Sales, Events, and Other Happenings
Shopping Local in Oakland on Labor Day Weekend! Oakland has an abundance of talented, passionate, and beautiful local independent merchants. We think that they are hidden gems in plain sight. And, it means Oakland is a shopper's utopia! So, we compile a list of...
Local Independent Toy Shops Already Have The Magic That Toys R Us Is Seeking
The Rise of the New Toys R Us The Toys R Us empire is attempting to make a comeback two years after their spectacular failure and bankruptcy. And they are partnering up with Big Tech to do it. Expect a launch in November, just before the holidays. Read more about it...
The Challenges of Running a Small Business
By Guest Blogger, Judith Soto, Owner of LaliSimone in the Laurel District Staying Alive in the Age of Amazon There are many challenges to running a small business and statistics don't lie. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of new small businesses will...
The benefits of shopping locally vs. the high cost of shopping corporate america
The benefits of shopping locally--a subject barely covered by the media We are waiting for the mainstream media to cover the benefits of shopping locally. But, in the meantime, at least we found a story from CNN that addressed a problem--yes, one problem--with...
Oakland Indies Need Our Help!
It's Time to Help our Oakland Indies We’re distraught about the recent closings of some epic and "so Oakland" small businesses. And given the current environment, more are guaranteed to follow. We feel helpless and want to do something. It's time to go to battle for...
Prioritize Oakland Indies First: A Letter to Our Mayor and Councilmembers
An "Oakland Indies First" Vision to Ensure a Bright Future for Oakland Yes, we wrote a letter to the City of Oakland to propose that we get together to develop an "Oakland Indies First" vision. The benefits of such a bold approach are far reaching. In short, this...
The Benefits of Small Business and a Vision for America
Appreciating the Benefits of Small Business We have always appreciated the importance and benefits of a thriving small business economy. But, in our journey to launch our one-stop local shopping website, something very odious has been confirmed for us: That federal,...
An Oakland Loveletter: Saving Local Independent Merchants with Smart Policies
Dear Libby Schaaf, Nikki Fortunato Bas, Loren Taylor, Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Dan Kalb, Sheng Thao, Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Larry Reid, and City of Oakland Staff, We are a small but growing group of Oakland Localists who cherish our city and care deeply about...