Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
“Now more than ever, shopping locally can make or break a business,” SBS Commissioner Doris said.
By Forum Staff
Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Jonnel Doris on Tuesday announced a new campaign to encourage New Yorkers to take a break from big-box retailers and shop at local small businesses.
The “Shop Your City” Challenge is a 30-day multi-channel marketing campaign featuring a contest and chance to win a $50 gift card to spend at neighborhood businesses.
According to the administration, the Shop Your City Challenge will encourage New Yorkers to support their small businesses while helping NYC’s economy recover through:
Advertising and Marketing: The City will launch a Shop Your City advertising campaign including significant investment in community and ethnic media, posters distributed to community partners and small businesses, and a social media toolkit.
Shop Your City Photo Contest: New Yorkers will be encouraged to support small businesses through themed week categories by going to nyc.gov/ShopYourCity to upload a photo or video depicting how you are supporting a local small business. Participants will be entered to the photo contest for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
Community Partnership: The City will engage with celebrities, local leaders, and business leaders to sign up for the 30-day challenge and support small businesses. Celebrities will be supporting this effort through a promotional video campaign, including actress and comedienne Sherri Shepherd, radio personality and business owner Angela Yee, and President of the New York City Hospitality Alliance and business owner Melba Wilson.
Consumer Incentives: The City will offer New Yorkers “I Shopped Local” stickers and Shop Your City Tote Bags when shopping small.
Five-borough Business Tour: The City will participate in days of action according to the themed weeks throughout the next 30 days to engage with small businesses and encourage New Yorkers to shop locally.
“Now more than ever, shopping locally can make or break a business,” Doris said. “The Shop Your City Challenge will bring New Yorkers together on a single mission, to shop small!”
For more information on the challenge, including maps and lists of local businesses, visit nyc.gov/ShopYourCity.
“The pandemic had a tremendous impact on small businesses in Queens and throughout the city. We lost a number of cherished neighborhood businesses over the last year, and those that have survived need our support now. The Shop Your City Challenge will help our small business community come back stronger, and get New Yorkers back to work,” said Thomas Grech, president and CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce.
“As our City begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must support our neighborhood small businesses by shopping locally and encouraging customers to frequent mom-and-pop shops along our commercial corridors,” Councilwoman Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) added. “The ‘Shop Your City’ challenge is a creative way to motivate consumers to stay local and bolster small businesses that have suffered during this past year. I encourage all New Yorkers to shop small and support your favorite local businesses!”
