Small Business Shout-Out: These Local Storefronts Need Our Love
We share the shops, restaurants, and services that are near and dear to our hearts—and now it’s your turn.
From markets supplied by local growers to cafes that offer bicycle repairs with your beer, small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. With the spread of COVID-19 forcing many storefronts to shutter, it’s more important than ever to find new ways to support our favorite mom-and-pop operations.
That’s why we put together this list of threatened restaurants and retailers that have taken their business online, offer gift certificates, or accept donations to help their staff ride out the pandemic.
This is a growing list—drop the name of a small business (or two, or three) from your community that could use some love in the comments below, and we’ll update this page!
San Diego
Moniker General in San Diego
Courtesy of Moniker General
Serving strong coffee, a great atmosphere, and an array of home goods, Moniker in San Diego, California, invites guests to swing by and grab a cup of coffee to go, or to shop online.
San Francisco Bay Area
The Aesthetic Union in San Francisco
Courtesy of The Aesthetic Union
The Aesthetic Union in San Francisco’s Mission District is a letterpress print shop dedicated to keeping the craft alive. The online shop is open, and offering free shipping.
With five locations throughout the Bay Area, Cafe Réveille (pronounced rev-ee-yay) and Réveille Coffee have been bright spots in their respective ‘hoods. They’re raising funds for their baristas and kitchen staff.
Cassava in San Francisco’s Richmond neighborhood serves California cuisine with farm-fresh ingredients—don’t skip the Japanese breakfast.
This flour and grain mill in Petaluma, California, is still shipping premium ingredients for home bakers.
Crimson Horticultural Rarities is a nursery in the Temescal area of Oakland that reminds us a bit of the Reptile Room in A Series of Unfortunate Events—totally dark, lush, and a bit mysterious. Besides plants, they also have an amazing selection of planters, wall art, perfume, and more.
Dax Lee’s Barber & Apothecary in Oakland promises "No bad cuts and no bad days," and they deliver. Gift certificates are available.
Fig & Thistle has both a market and a wine bar in San Francisco, where they curate a selection of low-elevage wines from small growers around the world.
With two locations in San Francisco, Green Apple Books is a cornerstone of the city’s literary community. They’re taking online orders and offering gift cards.
Located in San Francisco and Venice, General Store is a wonderland of well-crafted home goods, apparel and jewelry, and apothecary items.
With four locations in San Francisco, this purveyor of craft beer and whiskey also curates some of the best ice cream from around the country (especially Graeter’s from Cincinnati).
Part bike shop and part cafe, this community-minded venue serves up lots of vegan and vegetarian options and a rotating tap of local beers. Located in Oakland’s Chinatown, it’s accepting staff tip donations and appointments for bicycle repairs.
We’re so thankful for the creatives making us laugh uproariously in these uncertain times. Become a patron, subscribe to their quarterly, or pick up one of their many titles published in-house.
La Mediterranee is a San Francisco staple—the Fillmore location opened in 1979. The Armenian-Lebanese menu accommodates diets of all kinds, and they’re currently accepting take-out and delivery orders.
La Palma in San Francisco’s Mission district is a one-stop shop for Mexican cuisine, where stacks of tortillas are pressed fresh daily.
This is a beloved spot to pick up gifts for friends and family.
This winemaker in Upstate New York puts out a riesling that competes with some of the best. They’re offering free shipping with the code CASESHIPFREE.
Volunteers are helping local restaurants sell gift cards to help keep them afloat during the crisis.
With locations in San Francisco and Oakland, Trouble Coffee is a community-driven, brass tacks coffee shop with a skate-punk ethos.
Now offering food to-go, True Laurel in San Francisco’s Mission District pairs innovative cocktails and bar bites for the bon vivant.
A used and new bookstore by Oakland’s Lake Merritt that also deals vinyl, Walden Pond Books is still taking orders the old-fashioned way—by phone.
Wolfman Books is a forward-thinking, big-hearted community hub in Oakland that combines bookstore, small press, and event space. Shop online, or become a monthly supporter to get books delivered year-round.
Bay area potter Zoe Dering handmade vases and tableware with a signature speckled finish.
New York
Home Union in NYC
Courtesy of Home Union
See the full story on Dwell.com: Small Business Shout-Out: These Local Storefronts Need Our Love
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