Near and Far
Jamie Jones of Whirlaway Travel explores some travel options abroad and highlights their local counterparts
A few years back the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce came out with an app for local businesses to connect with the community and visitors to our vibrant downtown. To kick start the project the chamber held a contest on Small Business Saturday. Shoppers could check in on the app at each store they visited and the most check-ins would win $250 to be announced at the Old Fashioned Christmas Parade the following week. Always up for a challenge, I made it my mission to check in to as many businesses as I could and win that money. The Saturday morning after Thanksgiving I bundled up my daughter and stepdaughter, and we headed into town. The borough was bustling with shoppers, all of whom I was sure were vying for the prize. I can’t recall how many businesses we visited that day, but I do remember the highlights: devouring slices for the first time at Benny’s Pizza, scoring Pandora-style beads for my mother-in-law at Penwick Design, getting delicious olive oil and fancy salt at A Taste of Olive for our family pollyanna and conversing with Larry at Mainline Custom Clothiers about making an investment into the improvement of my husband’s wardrobe. As far as holiday shopping goes, we got a lot accomplished that day, and it was much more fun than sitting behind a computer and clicking items into a cart. My daughters were able to choose unique and personalized gifts for their grandparents, and I was able to support local businesses in our community. It was a winwin for the day, but more importantly, the contest inspired me to try and shop small on a more regular basis. When I travel, I try to find something special to bring home to remember my journey, and I strive to shop small abroad, too. On a recent trip to Spain I stumbled into a tiny espadrille shop, Yake Bolsos, on a side street off of one of the many squares in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Every time I slip into those handmade shoes, I am transported back to a cobblestone street filled with smells of hot chocolate and churros. While in the tiny town of Cordoba I got lost and wound up in an artisan co-op where I found the most gorgeous handmade bowl with a carved bull tail wrapping around the rim. It sits in my bedroom and reminds me of the time spent with my mom. Each purchase was local and supported a small business. Of course, no European trip is complete without a few Kinder Eggs for the kids, but those are purchased with my leftover Euros on my way home. The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce did a lot more than run a contest for the most check-ins in 2015. In one day they fulfilled their mission statement and connected small businesses and the community. They got people away from the ease of clicking through online stores and coerced them into local shops to connect, support, and inspire growth in our communities. We should all strive to do the same. Oh, and just in case you were curious, I won. —jjones@thewcpress.com
DECEMBER 2017 THEWCPRESS.COM
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