Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Jonnel Doris today announced a new campaign to encourage New Yorkers to take a break from big box retailers and shop at local small businesses. The “Shop Your City” Challenge is a 30-day multi-channel marketing campaign featuring a contest and chance to win a $50 gift card to spend at neighborhood businesses.
In the last year, SBS has launched 28 initiatives to help small businesses and jobseekers stay resilient. Their resources include a hotline [888-SBS-4NYC] that has helped over 60,000 callers, connected over 5,000 businesses to over $147 million in funding and assisted 90,000 job seekers.
“There’s no recovery without a full comeback for the small businesses that make New York City great. That comeback starts with all of us choosing to put money back in our own communities,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Shop Your City challenge will engage New Yorkers across the five boroughs to put big box stores aside and show their love for the local institutions that have given them so much.”
“Our small businesses have taken a tremendous hit because of this pandemic. The City is committed to continuing to find new and creative ways to support these businesses," said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Philip Thompson and Co-Chair of the Racial Inclusion and Equity Taskforce. "The Shop Your City Challenge will urge New Yorkers to show some love to our cherished small businesses and help them come back stronger.”
“Now more than ever, shopping locally can make or break a business,” said Jonnel Doris, Commissioner of NYC Department of Small Business Services and Co-Chair of the Small Business Subcommittee of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity. “The Shop Your City Challenge will bring New Yorkers together on a single mission, to shop small!”
The Shop Your City Challenge will encourage New Yorkers to support their small businesses while helping NYC’s economy recover through:
- Advertising and Marketing: The City will launch a Shop Your City advertising campaign including significant investment in community and ethnic media, posters distributed to community partners and small businesses, and a social media toolkit.
- Shop Your City Photo Contest: New Yorkers will be encouraged to support small businesses through themed week categories by going to www.nyc.gov/ShopYourCity to upload a photo or video depicting how you are supporting a local small business. Participants will be entered to the photo contest for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
- Community Partnership: The City will engage with celebrities, local leaders, and business leaders to sign up for the 30-day challenge and support small businesses. Celebrities will be supporting this effort through a promotional video campaign, including actress and comedienne Sherri Shepherd, radio personality and business owner Angela Yee, and President of New York City’s Hospitality and business owner Melba Wilson.
- Consumer Incentives: The City will offer New Yorkers “I Shopped Local” stickers and Shop Your City Tote Bags when shopping small.
- 5-borough Business Tour: The City will participate in days of action according to the themed weeks throughout the next 30 days to engage with small businesses and encourage New Yorkers to shop locally.
The 30-day campaign will kick off on Tuesday, May 25 with visits to small businesses in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. For more information on the Shop Your City Challenge, including maps and lists of local businesses, visit www.nyc.gov/shopyourcity.
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