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This holiday season, the city, through its “Authentically Yours, Pasadena” campaign will highlight local businesses that make Pasadena the charming and multicultural place that it is and the community can show its support by shopping from participating local stores.
The campaign kicked off on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, with welcome stations at small businesses across the city to inspire visitors and community members to shop small and dine local.
“With our Authentically Yours campaign, we provide small business owners with the resources to get in front of these potential consumers. And through our social media and through our marketing and communication efforts, we help uncover the authentic stories about what makes Pasadena small businesses so unique and how it benefits consumers,” Kristin McGrath, Executive Director at the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau said.
McGrath said the city has set up 27 welcome stations and shops throughout the city as part of the campaign.
Shoppers can get complimentary tote bags on these welcome stations, which they can use to carry all their purchases.
According to McGrath, shoppers can find from participating shops a variety of products from artisanal chocolates and baked goods, to soaps to rare antiques and jewels as well as handmade gifts and ceramics.
“The ability to meet a shop owner, finding that special gift that you won’t be able to find anywhere else, that’s a really special thing,” said McGrath. “Of course it’s just always nice for locals to know that by shopping small and local, the spending goes right back into the community that we all love so much.”
“We would like to really urge consumers to think about supporting small businesses when making their purchasing decisions. There’s really nothing like walking into a boutique gift shop that’s filled with different unique treasures from Pasadena,” added McGrath.
Paul Little, President of Pasadena Chamber of Commerce also urged members of the community to shop local amid the present economic challenges being faced by small businesses, which started during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020.
According to Little, small business owners have not fully recovered from the impacts of the pandemic. “Not even close. They lost up to 24 months of real income while expenses, such as rent, were either collected or deferred. In October one study found that nearly half of all small businesses paid only partial or no rent that month due to economic hardship.”
He said while there are new businesses coming to Pasadena, it is not enough to offset the 15% to 20% that closed forever as a result of the pandemic and the shutdowns.
“Anything that focuses attention on locally owned small businesses is helpful,” said Little. “Everyone should shop in Pasadena. It is good for all of us.” Little said local businesses have not fully recovered from the impact of the pandemic.”
For more information about the “Authentically Yours, Pasadena” holiday shopping campaign, visit www.visitpasadena.com/shoplocal.
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