By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
While fireworks and local community events may not be happening this July 4th, there is still a way for area residents to celebrate the nation’s birthday and give a little love to local businesses.
This year, LocalFirst has put together its first Independents Week, June 27 – July 4. The event, started by the American Independent Business Alliance or AMIBA, is designed to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirt by showcasing local businesses.
“We actually started working on this way before COVID,” said LocalFirst Marketing Manager Mieke Stoub during an interview with the WKTV Journal. “We had plans to make this something really big, but COVID had other plans.”
Area businesses have faced a lot of twists and turns as the state grappled with dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, which lead to many businesses being shutdown for at least 10 weeks. With public gatherings restricted and the future being decided on an almost day-by-day basis, LocalFirst staff were not certain if they could even host Independents Week.
“That has definitely been the name of the game – Pivoting in this fast past ever changing world when we don’ know quite what tomorrow’s news is going to be,” Stoub said. “We didn’t know that our businesses, if some of them would even be open at this point.”
The road has been rough for all businesses, especially the small locally owned ones.
“Our local businesses work on such thin margins,” Stoub said, adding that for restaurants, they need to be at a 100 percent capacity in order to make a profit. “So for the economy to come to a screeching halt that it has, it’s really a scary time for businesses and they need us to show up.”
With all the craziness and the fact that many businesses lost so much during the shutdown, LocalFirst recognized the need to host an event focused on independent business owners. So the work began to turn the Independents Week into a virtual event.
“We decided to make it super flexible, making it online as much as possible and really point people to local businesses and their social media to see the most recent updates,” Stoub said.
To help area residents, LocalFirst created different themes for each day. Starting Monday, the themes are:
Monday, June 29: Show Love Today: This is a day to write a review for a local business, such as Wyoming’s Lindo Mexico or Kentwood’s Schuler Books & Music. You could also tag a local business in your social media to show your support.
Tuesday: June 30: Show Love Tomorrow: This is an opportunity to support to a business by purchasing a gift card to use in the future, especially a business, such as Celebration! Cinema, that has not opened yet. Stoub also suggested making a hair appointment with a local stylist or for those planning to do some decorating, contacting some of the local home decor businesses such as Grand Rapids’ Verhey Carpets.
Wednesday, July 1: Let Someone Else Cook: Who doesn’t like a night off from cooking? Well there are a lot of great local restaurants, such as Wyoming’s Lindo Mexico and Grand Rapids’ Daddy Pete’s BBQ, offering in-dining and takeout. Many area food trucks, such as the Patty Matters, also are operating and are easy to find through their websites and social media.
Thursday, July 2: Retail Therapy: The Greater Grand Rapids area also has many locally owned shops from Rockford’s Aunt Candy’s Toy Shop to the area’s longtime sports shop Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus. Head over to The Mudroom and make a plate, browse the shelves at Kentwood’s Schuler Books & Music, or grab a few cans from Kentwood’s Broad Leaf Local Beer.
Friday, July 3: Happy Hour: As Stoub pointed out, Happy Hour does not have to be alcohol as there are places such as Kentwood’s YoChef’s Cafe, which offers Ferris Coffee and Alt City’s cold brews, or try Grand Rapids’ Maiamiah Juice Bar. Of course, for those looking for something a little stronger, there are plenty of options such as Broad Leaf, The Mitten, and Long Road Distillers.
Saturday, July 4: Grill Out: What is July 4th without grilling out? You could hit a number of the area farmers markets such as the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market or a family-owned one such as Belding’s Heffron Farms to collect up on your goodies. Byron Meats now offers the HarvestBox where you can order a selection of beef, pork, or chicken. Also there are a number of area businesses that offer packaged meals — both ready-to-cook and cooked — to making the day a little more relaxing. Remember with the holiday, you may need to pre-order items.
Stoub emphasized that Independents Week is really a launch pad to help inspire residents on ways they can support local businesses. Spending local is important, she said because for about every dollar spent, 68 cents stays within the community. This in turns helps produce more local jobs and creates economic stability.
“Our businesses are excited about Independents Week,” Stoub said. “They are excited about just being open.”
Many of the local business owners are nervous as the future still remains uncertain. They are also making sure to follow all Kent County Health Department and Center for Disease Control guidelines.
“The important thing is our businesses need us to show up and that is what we can do right now,”
For more about Independents Week, LocalFirst or how spending local benefits the community, visit localfirst.org.
