From the Editor: Loyal to Local

Loyal To Local - Always

As the COVID-19 situation seems to be slowing down within our community, we would like to take a moment to check in. We continue to encourage you to take care of yourself and your loved ones by observing recommendations from public health officials and staying home if you feel unwell.

Many local restaurants and businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19, with many suffering huge financial losses. Now is a great time to “buy” local first by ordering products and food to-go from your favorite local shops and restaurants!

As you know, our publication’s primary focus is to cover all the great things that our incredible city of Tampa Bay has to offer.

We focus our efforts on informing the community about local businesses and what products and services they have to offer you and your loved ones. We are proud promoters of a “shop local” mentality.

When you shop locally, you benefit from a personalized customer service experience, as local business owners are usually running and operating their own shops. They feel personally invested in your purchase. Local business owners genuinely care about you and your family; they want to get to know you and want to make sure you’re enjoying the products or services they offer. After all, they are your neighbors.

When you decide to shop local, you’re making a personal investment in your neighborhood and community. In fact, for every $100 spent, roughly $68-$73 of it returns to local activity.

Money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local companies, service providers, and farms.

Purchasing local helps grow other businesses as well as our region’s tax base. Whether you realize it or not, by supporting small businesses you are individually stimulating the local economy with your support and, in turn, helping shape your community’s unique character and personality.

By shopping local, you’re also supporting incredible local charities and non-profit organizations. Most of our featured local businesses and their owners are very involved in helping their communities prosper, and the majority donate a lot of their proceeds to local charities and non-profit organizations.

Where we learn, shop, eat, drink, and play—all of it makes our community home.

At the end of the day, it’s free to give a business a shout-out on social media, leave them a kind review, or hype them up through word-ofmouth. We’re doing our best to lift up all the small businesses we can right now, but we could use your help!

Tampa Bay’s one-of-a-kind local businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this place. Let’s keep Tampa vibrant, eclectic and unique; let’s keep it local.

Carla Dubis Tedeschi