I think we can all agree 2020 has been a doozy.
Pandemic scare. Stay-at-home orders. Shut down. Tiger King brain washing, Masks, No masks. Masks again. Cases spike. Civil injustice exposed. The world opens but only at 25%. Sourdough starters. 50% re-opening. Bars still closed. Election Day approaching…
It’s been a lot. And those that have felt it the most are our essential workers, single parent households, and local businesses that count on our footsteps entering their doors.
When Junior League’s Christmas in Cowtown event was made virtual this year my heart sank. Now, my heart sank for two reasons:
- I absolutely respect their decision. This beloved tradition of an event is rarely missed and people in this town take it seriously. I even have dear friends of mine who get a hotel for two nights so they can commit to their holiday shopping all day at CIC in kid-free bliss. It’s pretty epic. Despite the love for this event, I honestly see how social distancing would have been a complete nightmare. Two glasses of wine in and surrounded by rows of practically unending holiday gifts, you absolutely can’t get gleeful women away from each other. I get it.
- Small businesses. Oh the small businesses. Local businesses depend on this in-person event to get their exposure and holiday sales started for the season. These local businesses had already been forced to close only to slowly re-open with unending new precautions to take. My heart sank for those owners who have cried countless tears wondering how they’ll get back. NO ONE saw this coming and NO ONE was prepared. Unprecedented circumstances hurt for sure and the intense change in this tradition of an event was another massive pivot for these businesses to take.
Enter the gals of LOCAL Design Studios. They are already a team of six different businesses that house themselves in the same building with an open door every Wednesday from 10am-3pm and they wanted to find a way to show Fort Worth that local shopping is even more important than ever! After reaching out to a few local influencers (looking at you Shop Small Fort Worth and SoFortWorthIt!), magazines, and other businesses, they have created a Christmas in Fort Worth Event to kickoff your local holiday shopping from October 14-17. Each of the stores will have a combination of special holiday promotions and or pop ups.
My great grandpa used this term all the time but to me this is the epitome of “circling the wagons”. Times are tough. There is room for all. But what we as consumers need to do is to make use we are conscientious about our shopping decisions and that we actively choose to search local. They say when you order from a local creator or business owner a real person does a happy dance and that’s true…but in this case the person may also pass you in the grocery store. Times have been tough and it’s time we circle together and holiday shop with a purpose to keep our Fort Worth businesses going.
To the ladies at LOCAL, thank you. Your quick thinking, inclusivity, and innovative idea is absolutely wonderful! I can’t wait to start my holiday shopping with you all next week!
To see a full list of businesses involved with Christmas in Fort Worth see below!
LOCAL Design Studios + Gallery *pop ups in store
Feastivities *offering specials/surprises
Shop Small -The Collective *in-store special at The Collective as well as Cowtown Made
Stanley Eisenman Shoes *both locations: Clearfork and Camp Bowie
Babies on the Boulevard *in-store promotion
Birdie *in-store promotion
b Kids *in-store promotion
Park + Eighth *pop up shops in store 12-4pm (Events FTW, Denovo Active, Melissa Braniff Designs, and Ayca Design)
Michelle, aka @fortworthwoman, is a teacher turned counselor turned mommy turned entrepreneur.
Michelle has a passion for connecting, encouraging and informing about the good happening in our city. The good people, events, food, stores, entrepreneurs, and good deeds are her focus. She has created a niche for herself by using social media as a native marketing tool that has created meaningful exposure for local businesses in Fort Worth to a wide but very particular local audience.
