The Independent Shopkeepers Association (ISA) and partners across the state of Oklahoma are asking Oklahomans to shop and eat locally to celebrate small businesses in their communities during the Weekend of Local, July 12-14.
The campaign, organized by ISA in partnership with Woodward Main Street, Woodward Tourism, and the Woodward Chamber of Commerce, and 40 local organizations had more than 400 local businesses participating in the celebrations last year with in-store events, sales and more.
Through the Weekend of Local campaign, customers are encouraged to celebrate the important role local shops and restaurants play in making Oklahoma a better place to shop, eat and play. ISA created the initiative in 2021 to bring the community together and rally Oklahomans to show up big for small businesses.
"The Weekend of Local is such an exciting weekend in Oklahoma," said Cléo Nash, Executive Director of ISA. "There’s participating restaurants and shops all around the state, all offering fun activities and giveaways. We thought if Amazon can have Prime Days, small businesses should have something nice too."
Similar to Small Business Saturday, the campaign challenges customers to focus their spending on locally owned businesses and invest in their communities. For every dollar spent at a locally owned business, 67 cents stays in the community compared to 43 cents of every dollar spent at a national chain.
“We all know how big of a financial impact shopping and eating locally has on our communities,” said Nash. “Just imagine if for a whole weekend, everyone in Oklahoma only spent money at locally owned businesses. It would not only help these small businesses thrive, but it would also directly benefit our cities and towns. If any state in the country can take on this challenge, it’s Oklahoma.”
A directory of participating businesses, along with a map and list of happenings is available at weekendoflocal.com. Customers are encouraged to tag #weekendoflocal on social media and share their Weekend of Local adventures online.
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