What: Share joy and shop small this holiday season because #LocalMatters.

When: Support small, local businesses this entire holiday shopping season, especially on "Small Business Saturday," which is the Saturday after Thanksgiving (11/28/20), and help us turn Monday, 11/30/20 into “Local Cyber Monday” and send serious love to our local nonprofits on 12/1/20, which is “Giving Tuesday.”

Actions - If you are a small business owner or manager:

1. Learn more about Small Business Saturday and get your business added to the Small Business Saturday Map.
2. Download free, customizable Small Business Saturday assets.
3. Update your google listing so shoppers can find you, your store hours, and your Covid-conscious operations.
4. Follow the Chamber on social media (facebook, twitter, instagram) and use the hashtags #ShopSmall, #BuyLocal, #LocalMatters, and #SafeCommerce.

Actions - If you are a local resident:

1. Join Chamber staff and commit to buy 100% of your holiday gifts from small, local businesses this holiday season. You can mask-up and shop in-person; order online for shipping, delivery, or curbside pick-up; buy gift cards, services, and experiences; and shop at the farmers’ markets and sign up for a CSA.
2. Stop-by the Carrboro Farmers' Market on Small Business Saturday (11/28/20) to pick-up a swag bag compliments of the Carrboro Business Alliance (from 9-10am while supplies last!).
3. Decide to donate to local charities on Giving Tuesday (12/1/20).
4. Spread the local love with a positive online review of a local business.
5. Encourage others to shop small this holiday season.
6. Follow the Chamber on social media (facebook, twitter, instagram) and use the hashtags #ShopSmall, #BuyLocal, #LocalMatters, and #SafeCommerce.

Why: This holiday season will look a little different, but we can still support our small, local businesses. Every time you make a purchase at a local business, you support local jobs and help preserve the local character of our community. In fact, 67 cents of every dollar you spend at a local business stays in our community ("Small Business Economic Impact Study," American Express). When we spend it here, we keep it here. So keep it local. #LocalMatters

Safety: Our local business community is Covid-conscious and committed to operating safely. Many employers and employees are now Count on Me NC-certified. #SafeCommerce

Find a Local Business:

• Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro: The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Member Directory
• Chapel Hill: Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership What's Open List
• Carrboro: CarrboroUnited Food Hub | Carrboro Business Alliance Member Directory 
• Hillsborough: Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce Member Directory
• Orange County: Orange County Farms | Orange County Restaurants
• Chatham County: Chatham County Chamber of Commerce Member Directory 
• Additional: 97.9 The Hill WCHL/Chapelboro.com List | LocalListNC

Contact: The Chamber will update this page as more information becomes available, including the special Carrboro Cheer Holiday Gift Guide from the Carrboro Business Alliance. For questions, contact Chamber Vice President for External Affairs, Katie Loovis, at (919) 696-0781 (cell) or KLoovis@carolinachamber.org.

What: In the first and second quarter of 2020, as the coronavirus stay at home order was issued across the state, many local businesses were hurting. The Chamber teamed up with a dozen other organizations to launch #LocalStimulUS - a campaign to encourage our community to buy local as they received their COVID-19 stimulus checks. The following is the information shared during this campaign.

Why: Every time we make a purchase at a local business, we support local jobs and help preserve the local character of our community. In fact, 67 cents of every dollar we spend at a local business stays in our community. When we spend it here, we keep it here. So keep it local, y'all!

Find a Local Business: Many local businesses are still operating but with safety adjustments, including virtual classes, online ordering, and delivery, take-out, or curbside services. Find a local business now: 

• Carrboro: CarrboroUnited Food Hub | Town of Carrboro List | Carrboro Business Alliance Member Directory 
• Chapel Hill: Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership List 
• Hillsborough: Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce Member Directory 
• Chatham County: Chatham County Chamber of Commerce Member Directory 
• Orange County: Orange County Farms | Orange County Restaurants (See upper left corner for link to updated list)
• Regional: The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Member Directory | The Chamber’s Hot Deals 
• Additional: Chapel Hill Magazine’s list | 97.9 The Hill WCHL/Chapelboro.com List | #LocalListNC | NC COVID Support

How: While designed for the Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro community, the #LocalStimulUS campaign is flexible for use by communities everywhere. The campaign includes a logo, tagline "Keep it local, y'all!," hashtags #LocalStimulUS and #WeBuyLocal, and websites, LocalStimulUS.org and WeBuyLocal.org. Access the suite of editable logos and more information at LocalStimulUS.org.

About: This campaign was designed by The Splinter Group, ignited by The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro, the Carrboro Business Alliance, and CarrboroUnited, and developed in partnership with the Town of Carrboro Economic Development; the Town of Chapel Hill Economic Development, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, and Launch Chapel Hill; Orange County Economic Development and Orange County Visitors Bureau; the Town of Hillsborough Economic Development and the Hillsborough Orange County Chamber of Commerce; the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation and the Chatham Chamber of Commerce; and the Small Business Technology and Development Center, serving Alamance, Chatham, Lee, Orange, and Person Counties.

Press Release: Read more about #LocalStimulUS.

Feature in Chapel Hill and Chatham Magazine e-blasts:  

"Buy Local"

About: The previous campaign, "Buy Local," was launched in the early 2000s by The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro in partnership with several local government and nonprofit partners. The campaign was designed as a grassroots initiative open to anyone who believes in the benefit of spending money in the communities where he or she lives, works, goes to school, and plays.

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Why: "According to calculations by The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County Economic Development Commission, when Orange County residents 16 years or older spend $200 more in Orange County - rather than online or elsewhere - local sales rise by more than two percent. That two percent rise equates to about $500,000 in sales tax revenue that can fund as many as 10 local police officers or teachers. Note that we are not urging you to increase your spending, but rather redirect it to the businesses close to where you live, work and play.

Buying locally sustains the unique character and quality of life of your community. Beyond the economic impact of your spending, buying locally supports the businesses that reinvest in your community's social and environmental well-being. Orange County businesses give generously to area churches and non-profits and enhance the social welfare of friends and neighbors.

Dollars spent at a local business are reinvested in your community's employees through wages and reinvested in other organizations through the purchase of legal, accounting and other business services. And by purchasing from local businesses, you (and the goods you purchase) travel fewer miles, saving you time, gas money, and carbon emissions. Remember, when you spend it here, you keep it here."