In an era where shopping has become a battleground – where we’re critiqued from every angle for where, when, and how we spend our dollars – supporting our local small businesses can feel like a quiet revolution. By buying locally or shopping small, even online, you’re investing in community, sustainability, and integrity – it’s a way to support businesses that enrich your neighborhood; that create jobs for your friends and family; that maintain values you can stand behind.
Which is why my 2025 New Year’s Resolution read as follows: “shop small, or not at all.” (I admire folks like Leslie Stephens, who are looking to pull off a “no buy 2025” – that’s like playing on expert mode.) And so far, my year of small shopping has been a blast – I’ve met folks in my community, discovered the best moisturizer I’ve EVER used at a Pennsylvania farmer’s market (they don’t even have a website – you have to call a phone number to order), and I’ve scored art that I love, straight from the source (thank you, Abel!).
So today, in honor of today’s economic blackout – a day to abstain from shopping at all major retailers – I’d love to share a handful of the small businesses I’ve been patronizing recently. (Perhaps you might share yours, too?) Because whether you’re shopping for a gift, a throw pillow, or something that just feels good, these upstarts provide more than just products – they’re supporting their communities.
Yowie
Located: Philadelphia, PA
The Deal: Yowie curates small collections from independent artists and designers. After starting as a pop-up and growing into a full-fledged retail space, Yowie expanded into hospitality with a boutique hotel (!) that blends retail, lodging, and community space. Come for the design-forward ceramics, stay for the events and workshops.
Shop For: Hand-crafted gifts, incredible coffee table books, and unexpected decor.
Goodee
Located: Montreal, Canada
The Deal: Looking to source sustainable, ethically-made home goods WITHOUT undertaking an entire research project? Goodee is here for you. (Until March 4, at least – tariffs will add a 25% fee to American orders.) The brothers behind Goodee partner with artisans and brands worldwide to offer exclusive, limited-edition products that support traditional crafts and communities.
Best For: Beautiful daily essentials, heirloom-quality linens, and sustainably-crafted furniture.
Portmanteau
Located: New York, NY
The Deal: Portmanteau offers one of the world’s best-curated online vintage collections. (I fully anticipate a flurry of texts from angry designers today, frustrated that I’ve revealed their go-to destination for room-making pieces from every era.)
Best For: Warm, charming, soulful vintage for every budget.
Lichen
Located: Brooklyn, NY
The Deal: Lichen operates as a design incubator and retail space, focusing on accessible, functional design. The founders aim to create a community hub that fosters creativity and collaboration among designers and shoppers – it’s pretty much the platonic ideal of the shopping environment I detailed above.
Best For: Iconic design stalwarts, small-batch household tools, and sustainably-designed home goods.
Curves
Located: Toronto, Canada
The Deal: Launched in 2020, Curves hopes to bring artistically-inspired home goods into everyday living spaces. Case in point: the brand launched with a fabulous collection of rugs and decor inspired by iconic album covers.
Best For: Perfect gifts for your terminally online friends (might I suggest the iconic chair blanket?), statement-making reusable totes, and one-of-a-kind floor coverings.
Johanna Howard
Located: Montclair, NJ
The Deal: Johanna Howard Home combines the Swedish textile tradition with modern artisan craftsmanship. The result? Sustainable pillows, throws, and table linens that count Oprah (!) as a vocal fan.
Best For: Stunning table runners, blankets woven to last the test of time, and Scandi-style pillows (designed by a Swede, no less!).
Woodward Throwbacks
Located: Detroit, MI
The Deal: Woodward Throwbacks creates furniture and home goods from reclaimed materials, particularly those sourced from Detroit’s abandoned buildings. They create bespoke pieces, employ local workers, and collaborate with organizations that help support Detroit’s urban renewal. (And don’t even get me started on the vintage!)
Best For: Classic American vintage, architectural salvage, and handmade, reclaimed pieces for every room.
Candice Luter
Located: Cedar Rapids, IA
The Deal: After being laid off during the pandemic, Candice Luter jumped headfirst into her weaving practice – and it was the right call, as she’s gone on to create collections with giants like Target, West Elm, Bloomingdales, AllModern, and more. A project that started on the floor of a dining room now inhabits a warehouse, employs 5 Midwestern women, and has grown into a holistic home business with furniture and ceramics.
Best For: Small-batch, customizable furniture, textural accent pieces, and fresh art.
TRNK
Located: New York, NY
The Deal: Lovers of architectural, fresh design – think Frank Lloyd Wright-meets-Bahaus – this one is for you! TRNK crafts customizable, made-to-order furniture with modern lines and flawless proportions. (PS. Alongside their in-house product line, they carry a selection of home goods from a handful of global artists…and the curation is top notch.)
Best For: Showstopping lighting, geometric tables and rugs (the Terra collection!), and beautifully-angled seating.
Ifsthetic
Located: Los Angeles, CA
The Deal: Ifsthetic was launched after the founder struggled to find pieces for her own home – “everfything was either beige or boucle,” she told Good Housekeeping – and decided to launch a business that offered maximalist pieces produced the artisan way. (Think solid brass coasters, geometric candles, handwoven Moroccan rugs, and limited-edition pillows.)
Best For: Grin-inducing textiles, eye-popping candleholders, and Colman Domingo-approved slippers (seriously).
And now, I have to know – have you been feeling similarly? Has anyone else felt their shopping habits change? Which businesses are YOU proud to support? I’d love to hear about them. xx
This is wonderful! I’ve been looking for exactly these types of shops and I love your resolution so much. Thanks for taking the time to put together yet another fantastic post for us!
Oh wow I’m so happy to see two Canadian shops on this list!!!! Us north of the border readers appreciate!!!!
Inspiring!!!
Love this so much – it would be a great regular series!
Thanks for also shining a light on Economic Blackout today! Shop small or not at all!
Perfect post for today!
I love this so much Caitlin! Thank you for highlighting the economic blackout today. There is so much going on that I feel powerless to stop but I can control where I spend my money and who I support!
I followed your link to the artist Abel Macias. His work is amazing!!! I’d love to see what piece of his you own.
Love this!!! I hope others will add to it over time!
I think I ‘need’ those brass coasters/coaster holder from Ifthestic!!
I drove past my Albertson’s owned Jewel and Kroger but possibly now Piggly Wiggly owned Mariano’s yesterday to our local Tony’s Fresh Market, thinking that I’d rather give my grocery money there than the union-busting others, or to Target, who are a recent disappointment. But as I read your article I thought I should check and Tony’s is no longer local but private equity company owned now (and as a business school staff member, I have THOUGHTS about PE firms). Any thoughts on where to grocery shop responsibly???? (Yes, I’m a Costco member but that format doesn’t work for a lot of what I need to buy)
If you have local farmer’s markets weekly, that’s a good place to start! Mine has produce, grains, bread, meats, etc. Some of the stuff is SUPER pricey, so I tend to skip that (the meats, but I buy those at Costco and freeze, anyway), but if I go in with a plan and a list, it’s pretty reasonable.
Aw, you guys are going to put Target out of business. Sad because, trust, they treat their employees and marginalized people a heck of a lot better than Amazon or Walmart.
Personally, I’d be fine if Amazon and Walmart went away too — we all have way too much crap, er, stuff anyway. That said, I’m not in the position of having to rely on Walmart, Amazon or Target for groceries, so I don’t want to take too broad a swipe. I also don’t want to give Jeff Bezos another dollar, so I will do my best to stop shopping Amazon. I’ve already sworn off Target, nothing there I can’t get a better version of somewhere else, and I never shop at Walmart anyway, just not on my radar. We’ve gotten so used to the convenience of these huge stores and Amazon’s home delivery, but those are relatively recent developments in the world of shopping. There are other, better options, and one thing we can do is speak with our dollars.
I assume you’re in the Chicago area? You might want to look at Pete’s Fresh market – I believe its owned/run by 2 sisters… also look at the smaller hispanic markets – they usually have great produce.
I may have misunderstood what you were saying regarding your grocery options. If so, please disregard. I also am not sure where you are located so perhaps yours are different but just wanted to point that our Piggly Wiggly stores are locally owned.
Mom’s Stuff Pinon Salve is handcrafted by the lovely artist Lee Bennion from pinion she gathers in the mountains, organic comfrey from her garden ,etc. Her 3 daughters help, and your order just might get taken to Spring City’s post office in a horse drawn cart. I have used it for many years for dry cracked skin, mosquito bites, infected toes, etc. I love the pinon oil after a shower, skin gets so dry here in the high desert.
Momsstuffsalve.com
Can you tell us the who made the blue sofa in the opening photograph?
It’s the Lawson Fenning Moreno Sofa in Krypton Salute Fabric color 65
I love Olde brick lighting. So reasonable and hand made in PA. They are such high quality. Especially recommend for historic home owners. Made the renovation process much easier for me.
Definitely look at Sangre de Fruta https://www.sangredefruta.com/ with is all handcrafted on Bowen Island, BC for all your bathroom and vanity botanical potions.
Woman owned and small batch natural serums, lotions, soaps & scents.
Adding Baba Souk to the Canadian small business list. They are based in Montreal and ship to the US. I’ve bought 2 Moroccan leather poufs for about $50-80 USD and dishes from Morocco too. And they have real Beni Ourian Moroccan wool rugs too! Shipping may take about 2-3 weeks depending on customs to the US if you’re in the States. Canadians can visit the actual store in Montreal.
Thank you so much for continuing to offer retail options from diverse backgrounds. In a world where diversity is being attacked, it feels good to know this is still a priority for EHD.