The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Initiative encourages Bakersfield consumers to shop local, shop now
Bakersfield, Calif. (Tuesday, February 1, 2022) – The Greater Bakersfield Chamber today relaunched their Shop Local, Shop Now campaign to promote local business and encourage the community to shop local this Valentine’s Day. This consumer campaign was initially activated during the winter holidays and received praise from the business community due to its efforts to get individuals to shop local.
“This initiative helps promote our region’s economic vitality and the success of our member’s businesses, which include dozens of retail stores, restaurants and other hospitality companies,” said Nick Ortiz, Chamber President and CEO. “Shopping local for your Valentine’s Day gifts is a great way to support local retailers who invest a lot of time and energy to curate unique and personalized products.”
A 2021 report from Business Insider found that the average person spent $165 on Valentine’s Day gifts – making it an excellent time for the Chamber to encourage the community to purchase from small businesses. To assist in this effort, the Chamber is asking residents to visit their microsite: shoplocalshopnow.com, that serves as a hub for the Shop Local, Shop Now campaign and functions as a directory for people to find local one-of-a-kind gifts.
“Small and local businesses are the backbone of our community,” said BottleShock owner and Chamber member Shelby Gerber. “We do our best to not only invest in our team and networks, but we also invest in developing strong relationships with our customers. Because we get to know our customers so well we are able to adjust our wine and food inventory to meet the unique tastes of Bakersfield.”
The website includes an interactive map that lists all Chamber members in retail, restaurant and hospitality categories. As an additional perk for all Bakersfield residents – when people use the hashtags #ShopLocalShopNow and #BakoChamber – they will also have the opportunity to be featured in the Chamber Instagram feed.
“We hope that through this campaign we can continue to support the success of our member small businesses,” said Ortiz. “When you purchase locally, you avoid shipping delays, help create jobs for your friends and neighbors, contribute to improved public infrastructure and help fuel your local economy.”
About the Greater Bakersfield Chamber
The Greater Bakersfield Chamber is the region’s leading business membership, networking and advocacy organization, representing the interests of more than 1,100 members and more than 70,000 local jobs. Focused on creating a thriving local economy and improving the quality of life for every resident of Greater Bakersfield; the organization promotes economic vitality, facilitates networking and business development opportunities, and advocates for public policies that support quality jobs and inclusive growth. The Chamber guides Bakersfield toward a better and brighter future. Founded in 1920, the Chamber is driven by the belief that our community thrives when business succeeds.
Contact: Joel Paramo, [email protected], call/text: (661) 438-1034
