The Vermont Retail & Grocers Association (VRGA), in partnership with Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) and the Vermont Small Business Administration (VT SBA), held a press conference today at Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington to kick off a “Shop Vermont This Holiday Season!” statewide awareness campaign. VRGA President Jim Harrison, VBSR Executive Director Andrea Cohen, and VT SBA District Director Darcy Carter worked with Representative Peter Welch’s office to organize and present the event.
In attendance for the kickoff were Representative Peter Welch, Governor Peter Shumlin, and Mayor Miro Weinberger. Participating Vermont merchants included Outdoor Gear Exchange, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Phoenix Bookstore, Danforth Pewter, and others.
Vermont SBA's Darcy Carter, Governor Shumlin and Mayor Weinberger at the OGE in Burlington Monday. Courtesy photo.
“Vermont’s downtowns are the backbone of our economy and offer shoppers a variety of retailers with a wide selection of high quality Vermont-made products,” said Welch. “By shopping downtown, we keep our dollars in Vermont and do our part to ensure the vitality of our communities.”
Governor Peter Shumlin echoed Welch’s sentiments: “This holiday season, I encourage everyone to shop locally to support Vermont merchants and businesses. The ‘made in Vermont’ brand is sought after around the world, and we’re lucky to have so many innovative and committed entrepreneurs and merchants to choose from right here at home. The holidays are a time for communities to come together and there is no better way to do that than to shop locally to support your neighbors and friends.”
“This holiday season we celebrate our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community, here in Burlington and throughout the entire state,” added Mayor Miro Weinberger. “Burlingtonians take great pride in the vibrancy of our artisan local shops on the Church Street Marketplace and in our downtown district.”
“One of the easiest and most rewarding holiday-spirited actions Vermonters can take is shopping at locally owned and operated businesses,” noted VSBR’s Andrea Cohen.
“While the Internet has transformed the shopping experience,” stated VRGA President Jim Harrison, “there’s just no substitute for being able to actually see, feel, and taste the gifts that are such a central part of the holiday experience. There is a vast selection of high-quality, truly unique gift choices available and reasonably priced right here in our own state. We hope to see Vermonters supporting their friends and neighbors by shopping in Vermont this holiday season.”
“Most folks know Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but between the two is Small Business Saturday – a day dedicated to supporting America’s small businesses this holiday season,” said VT SBA’s Darcy Carter. “This is the 5th year Vermont will celebrate Small Business Saturday which is on November 29th. Special discounts will be offered on Nov 29th by hundreds of small businesses here. Local support of a small business makes a big difference to Vermont.”