‘Shop Small Bushwick' hopes for big boost for local stores this holiday season
Local shops have joined together for “Shop Small Bushwick,” an initiative designed to encourage customers to explore the neighborhood’s variety of small businesses.
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Holiday shopping might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Bushwick, but a new business alliance is working to change that.
Local shops have joined together for “Shop Small Bushwick,” an initiative designed to encourage customers to explore the neighborhood’s variety of small businesses.
Homemade scented candles, custom yarn and vintage books are just some of the offerings from stores participating in the effort.
The founders of Nose Best Candle Shop launched the Shop Small Bushwick Instagram page only a week ago, and interest is already growing with over 200 followers and a growing list of featured businesses.
“There was so much buy-in, so it was a confirmation that, yes, we’ve all had this same thought, but someone is finally doing this,” said Cristian Abbrancati, of Nose Best Candles.
Co-founder, Brittany Furnari, added that they often recommend customers to other shops, reminding people they don’t have to travel far to find what they need in Bushwick.
Cleo’s Yarn Shop was among the first to sign on.
Manager Jane Guay explained that the neighborhood’s tightly knit community helps niche craft stores thrive, adding that they are stocking business cards to recommend more places for curious shoppers to discover in the area.
To make it easier for shoppers, organizers have created a Google Map of participating businesses, turning the experience into an unofficial scavenger hunt. Customers like Karissa Stripling say supporting local shops is essential.
“If we aren’t the ones supporting it, we won’t have anywhere to go in the future,” she said.
For now, the campaign is marked by signs on storefronts. But businesses hope to add discounts soon to draw more people in.
Jules Wernersbach, owner of Hive Mind Books, said visibility is key.
“Getting the word out that we’re here is so important. We’re still really building our customer base. It’s really cool that we’re working with other businesses and trying to build a community beyond just our own walls,” Wernersbach said.
Organizers plan to host a "shop-crawl" in the near future to showcase the neighborhood’s stores and highlight Bushwick as a destination for holiday shopping.
