DENVER — As the holiday shopping season kicks off, some small businesses are banding together to draw the community into their local stores with deals they hope will amplify the fun of in-person shopping.
On Tennyson Street in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood, the annual Small Business Passport event is meant to keep the local economy thriving, while helping the community finds unique gifts.
“Shopping small and shopping local for us… it's not about people buying things or us selling things,” said Nicole Wolsey-Neech, who started the Small Business Passport more than a decade ago.
Creating opportunities for shoppers to buy local products from local shops “is like a complete domino effect in fueling the local economy,” she said.
This year’s shopping event – from November 30 to December 1 – is the biggest yet, with 40 businesses offering discounts.
“With a redemption of any deal, the business will give you a little red stamp, and each stamp is equal to one entry to win a gift basket,” Wolsey-Neech said. The gift basket is full of gift cards and products from the participating businesses with a total value of $1,600.
After shopping around the neighborhood and gathering stamps, shoppers can drop off their passport for a chance to win.
At the Jolly Goods gift shop run by Wolsey-Neech, almost everything on the shelves is locally made, much of it handmade by artists who live right in the neighborhood.
You’ll find everything from candles and cards to clothes and jewelry, like the Canned Goods jewelry line that local artist Thomas Paul Althaus crafts from recycled tin cans.
Jolly Goods is offering $10 off any purchase of $50 or more. But Wolsey-Neech hopes shoppers will take the chance to explore multiple shops on the passport.
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“We love it,” said Katie Carrera, who runs the local flower and plant shop Fern & Bloom. “It brings out a lot of people… out of the big box stores and just to hang out in the neighborhood.”
And Carrera said this year, local shoppers are needed more than ever.
“It has been difficult,” she said. Prices for everything are rising, including the locally-made products in her shop and the fresh flowers and plants she arranges into bouquets.
“Having the community show up and support and shop with us is really important to get through the busiest time of the year,” she said.
For Wolsey-Neech, who is excited to kick off the eleventh year of this collaborative event, said it’s about more than keeping small businesses open, it’s about “keeping the community strong.”
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In the weeks to come, there's many more opportunities to shop local, including at these holiday markets:
Cherry Creek Holiday Market
Nov. 21 – Dec. 24
Cherry Creek North
2401 E. 2nd Ave
Suite 150
Denver, CO
Denver Christkindlmarket
Nov. 22–Dec. 23
Civic Center Park
101 14th Avenue
Denver, CO
Mistletoe Market
Nov. 30 – Dec. 22
Dairy Block
1800 Wazee Street
Denver, CO
Holiday BAZAAR at Belleview Station
Nov. 30 – Dec. 1
Belleview Station
6791 East Chenango Ave
Denver, CO
Horseshoe Market
Nov. 30 – Dec. 1
Northwest Denver
3550 Federal Blvd
Denver, CO
Graveyard Markets: The Lemur and Friends Bazaar
Dec. 1
Learned Lemur
2220 East Colfax Ave
Denver, CO
Holiday BAZAAR at Larimer Square
Dec. 5 – Dec. 15 & Dec. 17 – Dec. 22
Larimer Square
1430 Larimer St
Denver, CO
Holiday Mercado
Dec. 6 – Dec. 7
Museo de las Americas
861 Santa Fe Dr
Denver, CO
It’s a RiNo-Ful Life Holiday Market
Dec. 7
River North Art District
Larimer & 29th Streets
Vegan Holiday Market - Boulder
Dec. 7
6185 Arapahoe Rd
Boulder, CO
Vegan Holiday Market – Denver
Dec. 15
833 Santa Fe Dr
Denver, CO
YouthBiz Marketplace
Dec. 7
Young Americans
3550 East 1st Ave.
Denver, CO
And here are a few more holiday markets outside of Denver:
Horseshoe Market
Dec. 7 – Dec. 8
Breckenridge Brewery
2920 Brewery Ln.
Littleton, CO
Downtown Lakewood Holiday BAZAAR
Dec. 7– Dec. 8 & Dec. 21– Dec. 22
Belmar Plaza
439 S. Upham St
Lakewood, CO
Holiday Boutique at the Depot Art Gallery
Dec. 22
Depot Art Gallery
2069 W. Powers Ave
Littleton, CO
6th Annual Mountain Toad Holiday Market
Dec. 8
Mountain Toad Brewing
900 Washington Ave
Golden, CO
Holiday Arts & Pottery Sale
Dec. 14
Washington Heights Arts Center
6375 W 1st Ave
Lakewood, CO
Boulder County Fairgrounds Winter Market
Dec. 7 – Dec. 8
9595 Nelson Rs.
Boulder, CO
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