Take the ShopLOCAL challenge. Since we launched, CoolCleveland has promoted local holiday shopping as a way to boost the bottom line in our region. For years, we published a Holiday Gift Guide to local businesses, but recently that’s been supplanted by our CoolNEIGHBORHOODS, ShopLOCAL and SUSTENANCE listings: free online guides to cool local shops, restaurants, nightspots, galleries, specialty food markets, handmade boutiques and shops selling clothes, toys, art, books… in other words, perfect holiday gifts.
So here’s the challenge: For 10 years, we’ve heard people give lip service to shopping local, pick up a token local gift, then spend the rest of their holiday shopping dollars online. This year, challenge yourself to stay away from online retailers and spend MOST of your time and money locally. That’s more than 50%. Are we out of our minds? Not really. We’ve identified 34 CoolNEIGHBORHOODS throughout the region filled with over 1000 local listings. We’ve done all the legwork. We even offer free mobile apps. If you can’t find most of your holiday gifts locally, you’re not really trying.
The Hildebrandt Building is an entrepreneurial hub with an anti-Black Friday vibe, and their holiday open house is sure to be an eye-opener. Winterfest means the 5th Street Arcades, the Arcade and Tower City are all hosting local art, artisans and indie retailers for your alt-shopping. 78th St. goes black on Friday. Celebrate 10 years at vintage shop This Way Out. Local museums are a great place to find gifts: the Akron Art Museum hosts its 10th Island of the Misfit Toys show, and while you’re there, visit Akron’s Crafty Mart, also at Musica & Summit Artspace.
Play Candyland on a life-size board at Penitentary Glen, enjoy Turkey Tech at GLSC, visit the new Citizen’s Pie on Waterloo, join Peanuts for his 41st all-star T-day Jam, or enjoy polka, reggae, pop rock, blues or a Nine Inch Nails marathon. Whatever you do, stay local. We challenge you. —Thomas Mulready