Milk and cookies aren’t cutting it. We need to start giving back to the community.
Did you know that during the holiday season, many small businesses often go neglected while popular big brands profit off of our blind consumerism? Large retailers are big competitors to hold that Santa title, while humble brands slave away to satisfy customers, often being overlooked.
Corporate America sits under your tree. When you look at those presents, directly shipped from an Amazon warehouse, do you ever think about the true heartfelt meaning behind the holidays? Do you want to spread love? Because that is precisely what small businesses do – and it’s all year ‘round.
Chances are, while shopping at small businesses, there is more of a chance that each product is made intricately with care, showing true affection towards customers.
This is something you will not find from the same copy-paste designer handbag and fast fashion jacket you’ve been eyeing. We’ve been overlooking the heart of the holidays, even after all the sacrifices they make to satisfy us.
Many small business owners handle a one-man job and are extremely short-staffed, if staffed at all, in their stores. Many products are handmade, one by one, leaving a strenuous job for them in order to meet inventory and production requirements.
Recently, I embarked on a journey to the 3rd Street Promenade with my beloved aunt Leah Cohen, leader of the Conscious Market (@consciousmarketla on Instagram), who has deeply ingrained herself into the heart and soul of the small business industry. She’s like a wizard of the community. As she led me to the different pop-ups, I noticed that every face lit up with gratitude, joy, and recognition when they noticed her.
With Cohen’s help in the past, I have sold my own crocheted goods at multiple locations periodically with friends, primarily this exact shopping center. While sitting there for 5 hours, which felt like an eternity, we had made no sales, feeling somewhat hopeless. Despite this, I felt good about what I was doing, and happy to be doing it with the people I love. With this limited experience under my belt, I could only begin to understand and empathize with the struggles so many small business owners face – which for many, it’s much longer term.
Right off the bat, I noticed how tightly-knit this community truly was. Everyone speaks to each other like they grew up together, and it’s because of how social this career is – and the unspoken understanding of being in the same boat.
Speaking with the talented 7-year-vendor Angelina Montes of Angelina’s Jewelry Collection (@angelinasjewelrycollection on Instagram), I caught a glimpse of the joys that come with being a vendor.
“Would you say this is more of a positive experience than a stressful one?”
“Being a vendor – I take it as a very positive experience because I get to meet so many amazing people. Every single weekend I make new friends.” Montes said.
“Frendors!” Cohen added, which I think is an amazing term to represent the unbreakable chemistry shared between all of the vendors.
I took this with me as I continued interviews, which allowed me to recognize the foremost fact that brands didn’t face struggles alone.
“It’s a rough start,” Montes said, “but I think that’s where everybody is right now.”
However, I did note that as I interviewed every person about the challenges they face, I got a different response nearly every time. Every single person came from such a unique and interesting perspective, each journey was different.
I talked to Lisa Voight of Lolala Market (@lolala_market on Instagram), who has a very inspiring story. She recently moved from Germany to LA, which was a very big change for her culturally, and obviously an even bigger challenge starting a business in this bustling foreign scene.
She told me her story, and how she came to the Promenade a few years back and promised herself she would one day sell her products here. Now, she varies locations, taking her dog Lola (whom she named her business after) with her on her journeys. (Lola was dressed as a reindeer, just thought I should add.)
The culture shock takes a big part during the season, as we know the US is extremely excessive on holidays. “Here in the US, I feel like Halloween is over and then it’s Christmas immediately.” Voight said.
This very accurately resembles the undying commitment and dedication that every small business owner takes on.
“For me it’s especially difficult because it’s a different language, different culture… But I managed somehow! It’s all step-by-step, learning by doing,” Voight said.
Looking at her stocked-up inventory and professionalism, I would have guessed she’d been working this gig since birth. It was extremely impressive to say the least. I couldn’t have done half of what she did – even if I worked with an army to do it. Looking at her store, I was extremely impressed with how much progress she had made. Her products consisted of colorful artsy graphics on totes, mugs, and magnets. 
Cohen generously decided to gift me a tote with the wording “Los Angeles” on it, which I was obsessed with. My infatuation wasn’t only the design (although that did play a big part), but rather the now-uncovered story that came with it. This is something that is exclusive to the shopping small experience.
This was something I also noticed with Esther Huang (@esther_hr2022 on Instagram), who ran a very successful crochet business focused on Amigurumi, which is a Japanese art of crocheting small, stuffed toys.
As someone who crochets, I can say with confidence that amigurumi is the most difficult thing I have attempted. She had 3 tables full of products, and there was not a single empty space. The quality of her merchandise was great, and let me tell you – if these were being sold under a big chain brand, they’d cost ten times more.
Vendors so often undercharge their products with the impression that this way they will get more sales. This is true, and it shouldn’t have to be. Thinking back to the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, when prices dropped even more, I wondered how small businesses had been affected if they participated, and whether this would be bad or good for their business. Asking around, I got mixed responses.
“This year it has really affected us, not only because of Black Friday, but rent was due on the same weekend.” Montes said.
“I got a very big order on my online shop, $2,880 or so. I got a panic attack because I thought it was fake or a scam… but I think it was just some Christmas shopping, so that was amazing.” Voight said.
“I didn’t pop up, because I know that people are more focused on the big stores, not the vendor stuff.” Huang said…
I also talked to William Covarrubias of Retro Fitted LA (@retrofittedla on Instagram), who had been a vendor for 4 years, specializing in upcycling old clothes. I admire how he can turn his resourcefulness into a career, and how positive this is for the environment. I had talked with him before when I used to sell, and he’s just all around a cool guy. The clothing he makes looks like designer streetwear, and it never fails to stop me in my tracks.
Talking to him, he told me the holidays are usually pretty slow for him, and that his business flourishes more in summer. However, he overall enjoys these festive events because of the euphoric atmosphere.
“You got the carol band playing instruments, the lights,” Covarrubias said.
It goes without saying that these little pop-ups add so much to the environment, put in so much more effort, risk a lot more, have so much more individuality, yet still go unappreciated in comparison to the extensive holiday shopping that goes on in big bland stores and heartless cold shopping malls.
I do admit it, this is a harsh piece. After all, everyone is guilty of unknowingly turning a blind eye to shop at the usual beloved Target for presents… However, if you really want to recognize what this holiday season is supposed to be about, start by giving back to the small businesses that deserve it so much more. And despite all of the things they do to contribute, they remain humble…!
Shop small this holiday season; It’s the most wonderful time of the year – but it takes a village to make it so.
