Buy Local This Holiday Season!

Before running off to the mall to load up on foriegn-made gifts or jumping on your computer to order from a large on-line retailer, check out your local retailer! Giant Asian factories have provided Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply-produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor — and sold in monstrous stores like Walmart that continue to devour local stores and shopkeepers.

Start a new tradition, buy local.

  • Give gifts that will help your fellow Americans!
  • Help create a movement of caring about each other
  • Buy locally-grown produce and foods at farm stands instead of supermarkets, where the food travels from overseas.
  • While shopping, patronize local restaurants instead of corporate chains.


BUY LOCAL LIST for Pinellas County, Florida

ART:

Safety Harbor Music and Art Center- SHAMc Buy $5 raffle tickets for this amazing hand-built vase by Ira Burhans of Clay and Paper Gallery in Dunedin  Call Kiaralinda and Todd at 727-725-4018 to purchase tickets. http://www.facebook.com/SafetyHarborArtAndMusicCenter

- Holly Bird- Printmaker, artist and illustrator. Copper plate etchings, linoleum block prints and mezzotints. Boats, birds and other beautiful things. My booth will be at the annual Harbor Art show, Downtown Palm Harbor, Dec. 3rd & 4th!  Phone- 727-781-6888 hbird@tampabay.rr.com • http://www.studioibis.com • http://hollybirdaerie.blogspot.com/

- Patti Bacun- Glass Bead Artist. Wearable art. Choice abound from one hand-made bead or a set or a piece of jewelry. No website, since everything is one-of-a-kind, but email me and we’ll “talk”. Phone: 727/415-6790 • smallcraft@ij.net

- Clay and Paper Gallery- Local art gallery owned by Barbara Melby-Burhans and Ira Burhans. Representing over 100 local and national artist. All handmade in the USA. Located in downtown Dunedin along the Pinellas Trail at 362 Main Street. Sponsoring ‘Tour de Clay’, Dec. 10 & 11. Twenty potters at six Tampa Bay pottery studios.www.tampatourdeclay.com • http://www.claypaper.com

- Joyce Curvin- artist. Whimsical, Funky and Earth-friendly art. “Art Official Pets”. Quirky characters constructed from 95% recycled materials and each has a personality all it’s own. curvin@TampaBay.rr.com • http://www.joycecurvin.net

- Shannon O’Leary-Beck- professional muralist & decorative painter. Gift certificates available for Color Consultations $65/ hr. www.wedigdoinit.com/shannon • http://facebook.com/shannon.olearybeck

FOOD:

- Personal Chef Eileen Morris, APPCA Gift certificates for cooking classes from around the world. Scheduled group classes are only $40. Private class up to 4, $155. Mini holiday meals $75.00 for 2 meals for 2 people(4 meals total) customized and delivered. PO Box 82/ Crystal Beach, FL 34681-0082   Phone: 727-787-3663 chefejm@tampabay.rr.com • www.icustomcuisine.com

- Amy’s Fresh Delivery- local produce delivered to your door. Homemade breads, mixed nuts in mason jars, christmas white peppermint bark, herbs and more! Prcie range $20-$40 amy@amysfresh.com • www.amysfresh.com

- Kelly’s Restaurant Three great choices to eat, drink, and dance; Kelly’s Restaurant, The Chic-A-Boom Room, and Blur Nightclub. 319 Main St., Dunedin FL 34698  727-736-5284 • http://kellyschicaboom.com

- Fireside Pizza Cafe- casual restaurant with a custom built wood-fired oven for that authentic Mediterranean experience. Vegetarian and a gluten-free pizza! 1104 Nebraska Ave. Palm Harbor FL 34683  727-216-3474 • http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fireside-Pizza-Cafe-Downtown-Palm-Harbor/183844065004068

- Ohana Cafe- Healthy Fare with an Island Flair! Taste the Aloha!!! Most of our produce is locally grown or organic! Our proteins are antibiotic & hormone free or organic! We offer omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, & gluten free options! Good Times, Great Grinds! 306 Orange St. N Palm Harbor FL 34683 727-787-1234 http://www.theohanacafe.com/

- Casa Tina Mexican Restaurant- Gourmet Mexican and Vegetarian Cuisine. Casa Tina’s offers fresh, healthy, authentic Mexican food in the heart of downtown Dunedin. Pan y Vino, the wine and tapas bar next door, provides delicious tapas and a modest but wide-ranging wine selection in a calm, romantic atmosphere. 365 Main Street  Dunedin, FL 34698 727-734-9226 http://www.casatinas.com

GARDEN:

- Siobhan Nehin- Exterior designer. Master Landscape plans, garden refreshes, murals and patio transformations. Gift certificates for Landscape and Patio Consultations booked for January; One hour $69/ two hrs. $125. ($10 OFF the normal rate of $135 for two hrs). Phone- 727-452-5107 email: snehin@mac. com

- Landmark Nursery- Tampa Bay’s largest retail garden center. Vast selection of special pots. Unique plants, trees and palms. Gifts for the patio including recycled rugs. Phone- 727- 938-2971 • 853 East Lake Rd. S. Tarpon Springs, FL 34688 • website: http://landmarknursery.com

MUSIC:

- Musician Gary Sintes- local musician for hire. Parties and local establishments. “Acoustic Rust” appearing to share the tunes from the days when melody mattered… The Beatles, Neil Young, JJ Cale, The Monkees, Bob Dylan, etc. • wsurfer@ij.net

- Musician Peter Grace-  Parties and local establishments.peugene2004@yahoo.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT:

- Lois Snyder- Fine Art Wood Works The highest quality cabinetry and furniture– made to last a lifetime, and made BY HAND with USA non-toxic materials right here in Tarpon Springs!  http://loissnyder.me/

- Nick Beck- Home improvement services specializing in cabinet installation. 727-420-5028

SERVICES:

- Get Mailed- a contract US Post Office/greeting card/gift shop owned by Galen MaCarty. 12487 Seminole Blvd., Largo FL  Phone- 727-584-7752

———————————————-

Add YOUR suggestions to the List!

If you have a local business, service or are a creative person, add your name. Also, help others in your community who could benefit from additional patronage. By adding to the comment area at the end of this post you can help promote yourself and others in the community. This list is for Pinellas County.

  • List the name, phone number and a short description. List gift certificates options and special offers.
  • If you live in a different area, start a list for your area.

Promote buying local on your personal social networking sites.

Please link to this post on your networking sites.

[portfolio_slideshow id=4327]

 


10 comments on “Buy Local This Holiday Season!
  1. I have visited a number of the local businesses listed here. All great experiences! Support our local economy!

  2. lisa schmidt says:

    Great job, and all businesses you mentioned are awesome, and I have used most of them and personal friends of many. One other local artist you need to mention. Ernie Simmons, wildlife artist. His studio in Dunedin.

  3. joyce curvin says:

    What a great way to support our local artists/businesses! After all, isn’t a fabulous hand-made item more fun to give than a mass-produced product that everyone has? Think unique for the holidays!

  4. I agree with everything above. Plus – most “chain store” products travel many thousands of miles to reach their shelves. All those miles waste fuel, harm the environment and add packaging to landfills. Buying local boosts the local economy and is also a great way to make new friends. :)

  5. Just wanted to say thanks for the support. I have definitely seen an increase in new customers wanting to buying local at the gallery.

  6. Nancy Armitage says:

    Recently I took my guest from Michigan to the Dunedin downtown shops for a little shopping. She bought a beautiful pair of silver earrings at Clay and Paper Gallery. I bought novelty cocktail napkins at Palm Latitudes — a perfect gag gift for a friend of mine. While we browsed the shops, I bumped into friends who actually said “we’re out buying local this holiday season”!

  7. Holly Bird says:

    Thanks for this!!

    You can’t go wrong with any restaurant, business or artisan listed here; I’m a regular patron and fan of most listed. Thanks for introducing me to the rest, Siobhan! I’ll check them out. We’re so lucky in this area; there’s no need to stray far to shop for unique, handmade, high-quality items and to dine at great, locally owned restaurants. It’s an investment in your community and your money stays in the local economy. Where it can do the most good!

  8. Buying local supports our local community and “real” people. As a local live musician, it is rewarding sharing your craft with others from where you live and feeling their genuine support.

    No need to travel or deal with a faceless “big box” retailer… Contribute to our local economy.

    It is all right here, ripe and ready for the pickin’! (No pun intended)

    Support Live Music! Support Live Local Businesses!

    http://acousticrust.net “Beatles To Blues From The Days When Melody Mattered.”

  9. Patti says:

    *I haven’t gone to a mall in many years. I LOVE buying Local! Most of the folks you listed have recognized styles; it’s fun to own and give products that are produced by people who live around you.

  10. I hate malls! The gifts that are special are the ones that you have a ball shopping for and would love to keep yourself, I love Clay and Paper for gifts! The struggling downtown of Clearwater has a great open market on Wednesday, and I found a cute hand made gift for my neighbor who is turning 90. My family all lives in California and has seen everything. So the only presents that empress them are the unique artsy stuff made right here!