How to shop local in Austin for the holidays

In a year of uncertainty, hundreds of local business owners are pleading with Austin to buy holiday gifts within our community.

AUSTIN, Texas - Big box stores across the country are gearing up to offer deep discounts for Black Friday 2020. But how about shopping local?

In a year of uncertainty, hundreds of local business owners are pleading with Austin to buy holiday gifts within our community.

“We have to think globally but act locally," said Dana Younger, with the Blue Genie Art Bazaar in North Austin, which features 120 local artists with thousands of gifts. “It’s so important to shop local, when you buy something here at the blue genie art bazaar, you’re supporting a person in our community, your money is coming back into our community. The more we can do that, support each other, the better our community will be.“

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Local businesses are all over Austin, in fact, there are five business districts in the capital city defined by the city's Economic Development Department, who have been working in overdrive to help disperse funds to local businesses since the pandemic began.

“We’ve...had a tremendous amount of relief go out to the community. I believe it was $16 million. Sadly, that’s a small amount of what is needed. We had $123 million and asks so that shows you how much need there is" said Veronica Briseno with the Austin Economic Development Department.

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Zach Theatre on South Lamar has become an outdoor venue for the time, being to give the people a taste of normalcy through music.

Not all local businesses have brick and mortar stores. Kira Carrena, the owner of You + Brie, makes homemade charcuterie boards, advertises on Instagram, and delivers to Austin locals. “I like to use a lot of local honeys and jams for my boxes,” she told FOX7.

Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 28th. You can support local Austin businesses by simply choosing to buy holiday gifts at local stores.

Below is a list of local Austin businesses, many of which offer curbside and online ordering and are holding Black Friday sales: