Local shopping sprees lift communities! Come celebrate Baltimore!

These days, you hear a lot about shopping local - usually for the sake of economy or ecology. Win, Win! But local markets of the holiday pop-up variety offer layers of experience with a tip of the hat to the old-world bazaar. They’re social events and gathering places where one can take in the vibe on one’s own or make an afternoon of it with friends or family. The holiday junkie, the homebody, the city-dweller who knows not to move their car after 5 - can grab a gift, preserve the planet, support small businesses AND tuck into a bite or beverage with just a stroll through their city streets in the blinking glow of holiday lights.

Waterfront Partnership’s Holiday Makers Market is just such an experience and once again, it’s just around the corner. PLUS– Makers Market is better than just shopping local. It promotes the culture of or beloved, quirky and diverse city. Baltimorean makers, bakers, crafters, artists and entrepreneurs create a unique marketplace that offers up clothing, creations and cuisine straight out of Baltimore’s grit & glitter arts and culture scene!

This year’s lineup includes 60 emerging and professional entrepreneurs and is built on relationships from our Baltimore by Baltimore series with a focus on women and minority-owned businesses. And thanks to our M&T Bank sponsor, the vendors and performers were able to receive free merchandise photos for marketing purposes. That’s investing in community- and it’s smart business.

Let’s follow the business benefits for a moment:

Small businesses generate $68 of local economic return for every $100 spent with them.
Over $9.3 billion would be directly returned to our economy if every US family spent just $10 a month at a local business.
Businesses with fewer than 500 employees account for 99.7% of all US employers.
Small businesses donate 250% more than large businesses to community causes.
Small businesses employ 58.9 million people.
Local business generates 70% more local economic activity per square foot than big box retail.
Shipping produces 1 billion metric tons of C02 a year.
More than a quarter of small business owners are immigrants.
48% of overall growth of US business ownership is attributed to immigrant business owners.
25% of local businesses closed because of low sales or limited cash flow.
65% of Americans’ shopping budgets are still spent in-store.
61% shop at local businesses because of their unique product selection.
56% of workers at locally owned businesses have high commitment scores.