PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Christmas is just one week away and a new campaign called Here for Portland is encouraging last-minute shoppers to “root for the home team” by supporting local businesses.
The campaign is a collaborative effort with organizations like Travel Portland and the Portland Business Alliance. Here for Portland is pushing for people in the community to help the city bounce back during a year of unprecedented economic hardships by spending their dollars locally, especially during the winter holiday season.
Pistils Nursery and Portland Gear are two locally-owned businesses that have seen an increase in online sales. They still offer in-person shopping, though with some safety restrictions in place such as limits on in-store capacity. This means shoppers should come knowing they may need to wait in a line outside to get in.
“Shopping local, I know it’s said over and over again, but it really does matter—people spending their money locally,” said Marcus Harvey with Portland Gear. “It invests in the community, it invests in local payroll, it invests in local rent and when people shop local the money stays here in Portland and that really matters.”
Monica Hasek with Pistils Nursery said business has slowed at their two locations in the city but online traffic has surged.
“We’ve had to pivot very quickly in the pandemic, offering things like online pickups or local pickups, people can do at our shops or warehouse.” Hasek said. “We’ve modified our hours, so it’s a little difficult to compare apples to apples like last year to this year.”
Portland Gear also seen a drop in retail but an increase in online sales, due in part to the company’s focus on successful ad campaigns and, as Harvey puts it, promoting “things that are inclusive of Portland.”
Hasek said Pistils has several gift options with a wide price range.
“Supporting local is so important right now,” she said. “We are all doing our best to thrive and survive here and the more people can come out and support local businesses right now, the better the chances that we will all be here in the spring and the future.”
Harvey said he knows how easy it can be to buy online but the alternative helps your local community.
“I know its convenient to order things from big box stores we are all guilty of doing it but if you can at least make a conscious decision, effort to buy a majority of your things locally if you can, that really makes a difference this holiday,” he said.