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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!).
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.
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.
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.
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
