Skip Big Box Shopping and Spend Your Black Friday Dollars Locally Instead

While the day after Thanksgiving – shorthanded as Black Friday – is traditionally when you can snap up big deals at big box stores, this year we encourage you to spread your seasonal spending around and support as many local businesses as you can. Seemingly every day has a special theme: Here are a few to keep in mind.

Keep in mind: Due to COVID-19, stores may have reduced hours or be open by appointment only; always check before head out.

Green Friday

The goal here is to be conscious of the environmental impact shopping – the packaging, the delivery – can have and to encourage consumers to skip shopping and commune with nature instead, or shop sustainable brands that align with your values. Local design firm/home decor boutique Articulture Designs uses the occasion to solicit used batteries, styrofoam, or packing peanuts; last year they recycled 160 cubic feet of styrofoam and 38 pounds of batteries.

Black Friday Record Store Crawl

Ten Austin indie record shops are joining forces; see map and participating stores in graphic, or read here for more about the record store crawl.

Small Business Saturday

It’s all there in the name. Find local outfits to support in the Austin Independent Business Alliance at ibuyaustin.com, the membership databases of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce; the Guerrilla Suit-curated Y’allmanac at yallmanac.com, the city of Austin's "Souly Austin" commercial district directory, and the Austin Chronicle’s Gift Pages, a local advertiser showcase.

Small Brewery Sunday

Support your local taprooms and brewpubs! Wondering where to start? Check out Chronicle beer columnist Eric Puga’s recent top 20 craft brewery power rankings.

Cyber Monday

Invented in 2005, Cyber Monday was a marketing tool to get consumers to embrace online shopping. Mmkay, mission accomplished, y’all. Still, it’s a good idea to make the online rounds of your favorite places, from yoga studios and yarn stores to barbers and movie theatres: There's a good chance they’ve got deals on discounted passes or subscription services you can sign up for. Got a favorite festival you like to attend? See if they’re offering an early bird special. Or think about where you spend a lot of your online time – a locally produced podcast, an Austin news site, a Bandcamp page – and become a sustaining member or buy some merch.

Giving Tuesday

Want to wash all that consumerism out from under your nails? This global day of giving instead directs your dollars at nonprofits in need. I Live Here I Give Here, the org behind Amplify Austin Day, has a robust database of nonprofits seeking donations. Wanna get more specific? Here at the Chronicle, we produce an annual “Wish List” series where our readers can find the exact needs of local nonprofits – paper cutters, microphones, A/C units, you name it. We’ll spotlight new organizations in the print issue every week through December, or you can peruse the whole list (constantly updating) online.

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