Five Reasons to Think Outside the Box on Black Friday!
Rob Seas Content Strategist/Copywriter
While the online and big box stores consume all the oxygen when it comes to Black Friday news coverage, shopping local, independent retailers is a great way to support your community and browse for those unique, hard-to-find and often hand-crafted, holiday gifts. Get a head start by holiday shopping at some of Billings, Montana’s local businesses on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday!
Here are five ways making a conscious effort to shop, eat and support local, independently-owned businesses helps your community!
- You build community. Shopping local helps foster friendships the old-fashioned way, through eye contact and friendly small talk.
- You benefit the local economy. For every dollar spent with a small or medium-sized business, an estimated two-thirds stays in the local economy compared to less than half for larger businesses. In addition, local businesses create most new jobs.
- You benefit the environment. Local businesses are often themselves supplied locally, which means less transportation, waste and pollution.
- Customer service is generally better. Owners of local stores know your needs better and they’re neighbors who invest in you. Small businesses are often the first place you ask to sponsor for your kid’s team or school fundraiser.
- You avoid dealing with returns. You can try clothing on and touch and feel merchandise before you buy it, which means you won’t have to worry about packaging and shipping return items.
Billings Local Jewelry Connections
Two of our favorite jewelers are part of the local business scene! Our very own graphic designer, Gabrielle Althoff, runs an Etsy shop called EveningStarJewelryMT, and Kinetic senior graphic designer Sam Fyfe‘s wife, Shayla, makes and sells jewelry on her website Fyfe Created. Check them both out for some beautiful, hand-crafted (and local Montanan made) jewelry.
The (by no means comprehensive) List
We polled Kinetic staff and compiled a list of some of our favorite local shops and eateries. We hope you explore this list, add your own favorites and spend time shopping and dining in local Billings, Montana this holiday season.
- Aspinwall Mountain Wear
- Baby Cakes Bakery
- Bar MT
- Billings Tech Guys
- Black Dog Coffee (three locations)
- Buffalo Block
- Bumps N Bundles
- Davidson Design
- Doggie Style Gourmet Treats
- Downtown Billings Alliance
- Edible Arrangements
- Ethos Salon
- Frae Everyday Goods
- Gainan’s – Midtown & Heights
- Goldsmith Gallery Jewelers
- Grains of Montana
- Gyspy Wind
- Jake’s – Downtown & West End
- Joy of Living
- Liberty & Vine Country Store
- Marketplace 3301
- Meadowlark Brewing
- Mia’s Wok
- Northern Boutique
- Ranch House Meats
- Rock Creek Coffee Roasters
- Rockets
- Roots Garden Center
- Sanctuary Spa
- Seafoods of the World
- SomethingChic
- Swanky Roots
- TEN
- The Base Camp
- The Moss Mansion
- Thirsty Street
- This House of Books
- Time Out Sports
- Tiny’s Tavern
- Trailhead Spirits
- Undammed Spirits
- Underground Fashion Exchange
- Vitality Medical & Wellness Center
- Yellowstone Cellars & Winery
- Yellowstone Valley Food Hub
- Yellowstone Art Museum
- Yesteryears Antique Mall
- Zest Billings
Want to launch a new local business? We can help with that! We’ve got our ears to the ground and know the local business scene inside and out. From website development to email automation to social media and advertising, we have strategies to jumpstart and build your business. Give us a call!
Rob Seas
Content Strategist/Copywriter
It all began with a father-son fly-fishing trip at 16 years old, and Rob was hooked on Montana. Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, it took a little while for him to make his way here for good. But in the meantime, he graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, held a variety of editorial positions across the country and worked as a freelance web developer for companies large and small, ranging from startups to international corporations like Visa, The Nature Conservancy, and Levi Strauss & Co.
He still loves to fish – and hunt, work magic in the kitchen… and he’s an artist. All of this experience, worldliness and creativity means that Rob is an incredible Kinetic talent and invaluable asset to the team and our clients.
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