‘Tis the season to shop and support local

AS Christmas gets closer, the convenience of online shopping may be tempting, but small business owners are encouraging their neighbours to shop locally for presents.

Rachel Sheehan, the owner of cafe, gifts, and accessories shop, LYDIARDGeneral, said spending money locally not only supports the individuals and families behind each store, but employees, and the city more broadly.

“Ballarat businesses need fellow Ballaratarians to spend their shopping dollars locally in the lead up to this Christmas,” she said.

“Not only will it help businesses and create jobs, it will also help stimulate our local economy.”

Andrea Hurley, the owner of gifts, homewares and clothing store, Hattie and the Wolf, said ticking off your present-buying within Ballarat stores not only keeps businesses’ doors open, but is an opportunity to have a unique shopping experience.

“It’s important to support small business or those lovely specialty shops are going to disappear, and it will be sad if we don’t have them,” she said.

“It’s also more sustainable for locals who live here to shop locally.

“Our space is very immersive, it’s a destination, and a place where we encourage people to slow down at this busy time and stop the rush.

“We have lots of things to look at and discover that customers may not have seen before, particularly local products and things from independent and small labels.

“We have a beautiful big Christmas tree, fabulous customer service, and all of those things you get when you support a small business.”

Ms Hurley said her staff experienced an early burst of festive shopping, and lots of wrapping, this spring which dropped off for a few weeks, but the rush is beginning to build again.

“People are starting to realise how close Christmas is,” she said.

In partnership with the small businesswomen behind neighbouring stores The Crafty Squirrel, Saltbush Kitchen, and Cornerstone Cafe, Ms Hurley is hosting a Shop Local evening tonight, 5pm to 8pm, encouraging people to walk from shop-to-shop.

She said they’re all optimistic about what they can achieve throughout the season, and are stronger when they work together.

“In retail, you don’t go into it with your eyes closed. We know every day is different, and that it can be challenging,” Ms Hurley said.

“For us, collaboration is a big part of keeping us all viable.”