supporting locally owned downtown businesses

[Vertigo]

There are many businesses downtown that need your support. Have you been to River Bank books, Little Bohemia, Premier skating, Scavenger hunt, Gallery 71 South, My video shoppe, Vertigo music, etc?

Go to: LOCALFIRST.ORG for many retailers in your community. The money you spend locally stays in the community longer and HELPS CREATE A VIBRANT COMMUNITY!

My question is: What types of retail would you like to see downtown and is it honestly something that you and friends would embrace?

[snoogit]

umm that takes me to local first utah

but I think you mean http://www.localfirst.com

Im surprised I havent seen a certain dog walker link to this yet

[dbrok]

Don't forget to check out the LocalFirst Street Fair June 3rd in front of Bistro Bella Vita. There will be food, beverages and vendor booths promoting local businesses.

[zenstyle]

You're way ahead of me, snoogit!

But I figured I've done enough beating of my own drum on this website.

(Or maybe not....better to be beaten over the head with Frances Walks Your Dog than with Project X!)

[Trixie]

I would shop for clothes - but at a store that doesn't cater to young girls/bar clothes. So, upscale clothing. Daniels Lite maybe?

I would shop at a specialty grocery store.

I would go weekly to a farmers market/local organics market.

I was going to post a new topic earlier similar to this topic: How long could you go doing your grocery shopping at local grocers (NOT Meijer/Spartan). I mean, neighborhood shops. I've been on a month long experiment - shopping only at Kingmas, Mediterranian Island, Russos, and VanBalls.

Trixie

[eagle]

^^We do very little shopping outside of the locally owned stores. Between Harvest Health, Russos, and Heffron Farms we're pretty much set. We go out to eat a ton though. (Locally owned restaurants of course. )

Just thought of something...is Harvest Health locally owned?

[sstroh]

I was going to post a new topic earlier similar to this topic: How long could you go doing your grocery shopping at local grocers (NOT Meijer/Spartan). I mean, neighborhood shops. I've been on a month long experiment - shopping only at Kingmas, Mediterranian Island, Russos, and VanBalls.

Trixie

It's tough because we are limited with the local small independent grocers. I've said many times that I would love to open up a grocery / specialty / organic market in the downtown area. I have never heard of Mediterranian Island though, where is it?

Yes, I believe that Harvest Health is local. They have one shop on Eastern and another new one in Hudsonville.

[Trixie]

It's tough because we are limited with the local small independent grocers. I've said many times that I would love to open up a grocery / specialty / organic market in the downtown area. I have never heard of Mediterranian Island though, where is it?

Yes, I believe that Harvest Health is local. They have one shop on Eastern and another new one in Hudsonville.

Med Island is located in the shopping center at 44th/Kalamazoo. Great "foreign" food supplies.

Harvest Health also has a location in Cascade.

Trixie

[GR1]

Harvest Health Foods is locally owned. I know the owner, a very nice guy!!

Here is the history of the stores.

[twoshort]

Harvest Health Foods is locally owned. I know the owner, a very nice guy!!

Here is the history of the stores.

hmmm.. I thought harvest health foods was just vitamins and herbs and tea. Do they have frozen foods and stuff too?

[GR1]

Harvest Health has everything. It's like a little grocery store. They offer a lot of items if you have special needs or restrictions in your diet. They're also very helpful in finding specialty items and they'll order you your favorite items by the case and give you a price break sometimes.

[eagle]

hmmm.. I thought harvest health foods was just vitamins and herbs and tea. Do they have frozen foods and stuff too?

We always shop at the one on Eastern and can find just about everything we need The produce buyer told me the hudsonville store had even more frozen items but the Eastern store has more produce

(sorry about no punctuation my keyboard just got stuck in some weird mode and everythings backwords)

[eagle]

edit: sorry, posted twice. Don't know how to delete it.

[houseofdon]

edit: sorry, posted twice. Don't know how to delete it.

D&W is a big part of Local First...I don't know why we wouldn't classify them as locally owned...

[jayblogger]

As I've posted before in other threads, I try to shop at locally owned places first if I can. I frequent River Bank Books, Vertigo, Martha's Vineyard, San Chez, Yesterdog, etc... I don't totally shun big chain stores, but I try to support local biz as much as I can. It's worth the effort.

I just found the localfirst.com site from this thread, and I'm very glad I did. I've been looking for a place to get some message therapy and there were a bunch listed in the member directory.

Dbrok: that LocalFirst Street Fair is the same weekend as Festival. I've avoided all the crowds the past few years, but now I have I good reason to head down and take a look. Thanks.

[Sunlover38]

What is wrong w/ shopping at Meijers? They are locally owned and employ thousands of folks in West Michigan.

[gvsusean]

yay I shop at meijer whenever i can to try and smite the walmart giant