Here are some images you can share to show your support of your local mom-and-pop shops! Feel free to share them on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or wherever you connect with those you love.
Tag Archives: community
Let’s shop local on Small Business Saturday, November 30, 2013!
Small Business Saturday is November 30, 2013! Sponsored by American Express Small Business Saturday is an awesome event to get everyone out shopping and supporting their local businesses. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/Shop-Small/ Relylocal.com supports Small Business Saturday and loves the message it sends! What is the benefit of Small Business Saturday? It brings awareness to the necessity of supporting our local and small businesses within our community. What is a local business? Well, many of your local businesses are just like your major chains, but on a smaller, more personal scale. Relylocal.com has many clients that can service your everyday or your holiday needs, just as well as the big guys! And you get a more intimate, one-on-one customer care experience. I will list some alternative shopping places for your everyday needs and your holiday needs – so you can all get out and support your local businesses EVERYDAY and on Small Business Saturday, November 30, 2011.
Midway Home Solutions
Furniture/Large Electronic Items
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/midway-home-solutions
Santa Fe Trading Co.
Wide variety of hand-made gifts/crafts
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/santa-fe-trading-co
Adelanto Transmission Auto Repair
Gift Certificates!
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/adelanto-transmission-and-auto-care
High Desert Oasis Book Store
Used Books/Audio Books/Handmade crafts
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/hi-desert-book-oasis-used-books
Hair Emporium
Hair accessories
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/hair-emporium
A Touch For Your Health
Massage Gift Certificates
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/a-touch-for-your-health-massage-therapy–3
Luxury Handbags/Accessories
High Desert Miche Bag with Sonya Rugg
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/high-desert-miche-bag-with-sonya-rugg
High Desert Paparazzi with Shannon Tripp
Jewelry, accessories, gift certificates
http://www.relylocal.com/victorville-california/business_listings/high-desert-paparazzi-by-shannon-tripp
That is just a sample of our awesome local businesses in the High Desert! We have so many more unique, interesting local businesses to shop at on Small Business Saturday! Contact http://www.relylocal.com to find out about our other local businesses that are a part of our Coalition!
What is the $20 shift?
What is the $20 shift?
When you take $20 that you are already spending with national chains in your town, and shift that same $20 and spend it with a locally-owned, independent business, something amazing happens.
That money hangs around town.
A restaurant spends it with a printer for new menus. And that printer uses it to pay an employee who spends it to get her kids a haircut at a salon in town. And that salon uses it to support the local animal rescue. And around and around it goes.
Studies have shown repeatedly that money spent with locally-owned businesses pays off in big ways. Our “Impact of Local Spending” calculator takes those studies into account and tells us that if most of the 415,000-ish people in the Victor Valley made the $20 shift, we would keep nearly $57,000,000 a year in the High Desert.
$57 MILLION!
How many good-paying jobs could that create?
What would that do for thousands of local families?
Which nonprofits would end up with more donations because of that money staying local?
And all this because you decided to go to Carpet Club instead of Home Depot, or Hair Emporium instead of Walmart. (And the impact is even BIGGER when you shift from online or down the hill to a locally-owned business!) Make a true INVESTMENT in your community. Instead of waiting for someone else to fix the issues, let’s take a small action ourselves.
What to do for the holidays
Where to see lights in the HD!
There are so many interesting things to do for the holidays in the High Desert! Here are a few to mark on your calendar. (If I missed something, please send me an email at alyssapenman@relylocal.com.)
Thursday, November 22, 2012 – Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
- Winter Wonderland Tree Lighting Ceremony in Apple Valley
- 2012 Victorville Children’s Christmas Parade
- Silver Lakes Association Holiday Tree Lighting
Wednesday, December 5
Saturday, December 8, 2012
- Adelanto Christmas Parade
- Silver Lakes Christmas Parade
- Hi Desert Book Oasis Polar Express Story Time
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012 – Sunday, December 23, 2012
Monday, December 31, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving!
We want YOU!
We are calling YOU, Loyal Locals!
If you are willing to do a short phone, email or in-person interview with us sharing why YOU love to buy locally, please leave a comment below or send an email to alyssapenman@relylocal.com.
High Desert residents only, please!
Image: Some rights reserved by legends2k
Spotlight: D’Vine Wine Bar in Victorville, CA
One of the things people told me when I moved to the High Desert was that there is nothing to do. No places to go. To get great nightlife, you have to go down the hill.
I have found that nothing could further from the truth! There is something for most everyone here, including those of us who appreciate a glass of fine wine and some gourmet treats to go along with it.
Several weeks ago, I sat down with owner Steve Sipe to learn more about D’Vine Wine Bar, a beautiful little spot tucked away on Monarch Boulevard in Victorville that offers live jazz, tasting flights, appetizers and desserts and an environment that encourages conversation.
RelyLocal: Tell me a little about D’Vine Wine Bar and how you came to start this business.
Steve Sipe: We opened three and a half years ago, in 2007. My wife is a great entrepreneur and always wanted to open a piano bar. In the early 2000s we were visiting San Diego a lot. We visited some wine bars and really liked them; we thought maybe this would be the way to go. Looking at the High Desert, it seemed like the market needed it.
As a business owner, you have to give the people what they want. Talk about adapting: adding live jazz was something people wanted, not something we originally planned to focus so much energy on. People come to D’Vine Wine Bar looking for good company, good music, and good wine, not to get sloshed. We are open 7 nights a week: 4 pm for happy hour until 10 pm on weekdays and open until 11 pm on weekends.
RelyLocal: What products can guests expect to find?
Sipe: One of the popular items we have are Wine Lovers Chocolates. These are specially made to pair with specific kinds of wine. Salmon Creek Wines are our house wine. We offer 75 different wines by the glass or the bottle, as well as appetizers and desserts. Guests can find tasting flights. And you can always taste before you buy because we want to make sure that you have a good experience.
RelyLocal: What special events does D’Vine Wine Bar have?
Sipe: Wine down Tuesday allows people to enjoy discounts on wines. Wine Tasting Wednesday features a tasting flight package. Thursday is the Open Jazz Jam featuring the Alan Winkel Trio. Friday features live jazz. And Sundays are Sangria Sundays.
We also host special events, birthday parties, anniversaries, anything you might need. Call us to get more information on those options. We can accommodate up to 50 guests.
The wine bar also features our artist-in-residence. We have two right now and we always have local art on display for sale.
There is also a newsletter for our customers and we recently had our Taste of the Vineyards wine cruise in April on Celebrity Cruise Line. We hope to do more of that in the future.
RelyLocal: Do you have any advice for other High Desert business owners?
Sipe: Don’t underestimate how much adapting you need to be able to do along the way. The market takes you in the direction you need to go if you listen.
You invite people to do business with you. You can’t just open your doors and expect people to walk in and patronize you. This should be part of the business plan from day one. How are you going to get your customers in the door? Everyone knows McDonald’s but they still spend more than any other fast food franchise on advertising. They want people to come more often. They want to stay top of mind for customers.
RelyLocal: What are your thoughts on building the economic resilience of the High Desert?
Sipe: I know all of the cities are active in trying to bring business to the Victor Valley. I would like to see more employment here, of course. But as things improve down the hill it will trickle up to here too. I have heard that more than 60% of heads of household work down the hill. That puts a lot of people on the highways. Its bad for local businesses because they will spend down the hill. [Ed: We’ll work to change that!]
RelyLocal: Tell me about you and your wife. Do you have any local favorites?
Sipe: Besides owning D’Vine Wine Bar, I also work at El Dorado Broadcasting. I have lived in the High Desert for 20 years. My job in television advertising brought me up to the Victor Valley originally. I’ve seen lots of change since then! My wife Beatriz Potter’s business is Fairy Tales Flowers and Gifts on I Ave and Bear Valley Road.
I use Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai gym here in our center. I really like Freedom Automotive in Hesperia. My car was having a rear end problem. He diagnosed the problem, fixed it, and it was done right. I was impressed with the profiessionalism and experience.
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I have had some great fun with friends at D’Vine Wine Bar since this interview, including being introduced to a delicious Chilean Carmenere. Many thanks to Steve for sharing about his business with us! If you’d like to visit D’Vine Wine Bar, they are located at 14845 Monarch Blvd Suite C, Victorville, CA 92395.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Spotlight: Tracy Tate and Cage Candy in the High Desert of Southern California
“Fight your fight.”
These are the words that motivate entrepreneur Tracy Tate to keep going, keep building her MMA-inspired line of women’s clothing, as well as motivate female MMA fighters she sponsors and hundreds of her friends, fans and followers. I had a chance to enjoy some coffee at The Grind with this inspirational lady and learned that sometimes life surprises us with where strength comes from.
RelyLocal: What inspired you to start Cage Candy?
Tracy Tate: It started after pulling an all-nighter with my son, watching Chuck Liddell, a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter. I couldn’t get enough of it! The next morning was so excited, wondering how to get involved in this sport. That was 3 years ago and I wanted to surprise my sister with an MMA (mixed martial arts) shirts. I couldn’t find women’s clothes for MMA support. Turns out, there was no line specifically for women. It was all men’s clothes kind of trying to look girly. I know that women like more about how things feel, fit, or stretch. Rather jokingly, I said to a local shop owner that I should create my own line. He asked if I was serious and said, “If you do, come back and see me because you are in the right place at the right time.” I thought about it, prayed about it and all of a sudden I got very excited and wouldn’t let the idea go. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I knew ‘if I can’t go big I’m not going at all.’
RelyLocal: How can MMA fans get Cage Candy clothing right now?
Tate: Currently we are selling at two places locally: Victor Valley College bookstore and Ever Young Day Spa on Hesperia Rd and Silica Rd in Victorville. We also have our line in 2 East Coast malls. And we have an online store where people can shop. There is a waiting list for retail stores and online stores. Clearly there is a demand! We produce everything in Southern California and this year my goal is to find the right investor to take it to the next level.
RelyLocal: What is it like working with female MMA fighters and in the MMA world?
Tate: All my fighters wear Cage Candy. I want to know their story. Why are they getting in that cage? Is there physical or mental abuse you are conquering? Do you have some obstacle or challenge? All my fighters have some thing they are overcoming. One of my fighters lost her mom to breast cancer. So I tell her, “You go in that cage and fight for her.” I love the passion and determination; they’re fighting more than just for sport. They are fighting their past, their issues. I wish I could sponsor every girl that wrote to me. My heart is so big but my pocket book isn’t! I hope someday we can sponsor every female fighter to fight her fight. When I started this I searched out the founders of Tap Out. I learned about them and saw how they did it. No sense reinventing the wheel! I networked my way to them and learned from them. Each time we are at an event together I ask them for one more piece of advice then I go and do it! One of my fighters recently had Tap Out on the front of her shirt and Cage Candy on the back. That was a big moment. It’s a great feeling to see your stuff out there. Most people see me in my pink wig for fights, so I’m recognizable. Its funny, people look up to me but I’m really looking up to them!
RelyLocal: Your family has a long history in the Victor Valley. How have you seen it change? What do you see as the best response to the current economic climate?
Tate: We do have a lot of family history up here; my great-great grandparents homesteaded in the area. My grandparents helped found the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley. I love our weather with four seasons. And I have raised my family here. As far as the economic times go, we have been here before and we came out of it. It is just one of those waves we must ride out. During that time we just have to hang in there, support one another and realize we are not alone. A lot of people don’t know I’ve sometimes had to hold down 3 to 4 jobs at a time. I’m down to 2 now! This crisis puts families up against and a wall and they can only go down or up. Out of this depression will come some of the greatest innovations ever. It forces us to get creative and the ones who are hanging in there now will be the ones who come out strong the other side. And I plan on being one of those people! The fact is, what you put into life is what you’re going to get out of it. Everyone has a hardship story, but at the end of the day you need to live each day as though it’s your last. Maybe don’t focus too far in the future, look to the moment.
RelyLocal: You are a big supporter of the Buy Local movement here in the High Desert. What are some local, independent businesses you like to patronize?
Tate: We are sushi addicts and go to Soya Sushi on Bear Valley Rd and Hesperia Rd. There is also one in Jess Ranch; they are locally owned and have three locations in the High Desert. We also love Los Domingos on Main Street in Hesperia. myMEdiacharge does my web design. Wigs and Accessories on 7th street in Victorville is where I find my signature pink wigs for Cage Candy promotions and fights. And of course my sister Tiffany Tate is a realtor with Exit Realty LT Associates.
Tracy Tate is an inspiring lady who is doing what she can to encourage everyone, especially women, to never give up on themselves or their circumstances. She is doing a lot for the High Desert community, including recently speaking at Hesperia’s Relay for Life event. You can find her information at www.cagecandy.com.
If you would like to see your locally-owned business highlighted on this blog, please contact Alyssa Penman by email at AlyssaPenman {at} RelyLocal {dot} com or call her at 760-246-5400. RelyLocal.com is a locally-owned business that connects local consumers to local businesses for a thriving, robust and vibrant local economy.
Being a Good Citizen
Volunteers collected 52 bags of trash on Saturday April 9th!
It is amazing how quickly trash condenses… those little pieces of paper spread across several acres of open desert look TERRIBLE! However, when you actually pick them up, they are quite small. Even so, we still collected 52 bags of trash from the open field portion of Hesperia Rd between Nisqualli and Winona.
Awesome volunteers from Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship picked up so much trash!
If these amazing volunteers hadn’t been there, Donna and Alyssa would STILL be out there picking up trash. Way to go team! Without a single complaint, they picked up about a million fast food wrappers, cans, plastic bags, fliers, clothing, shoes, toys and more. The weirdest thing I (Alyssa) saw was either the Barbie doll dress (someone else found a Barbie doll head!) or the nearly full 12-pack of Shasta cola. And lots and lots of plastic bags.
Part of RelyLocal’s commitment to this community is not only to promote locally-owned, independent businesses, but to be good citizens. Instead of joining in the complaining, lamenting the trash, we want to be part of the solution by picking it up. It is easy to sit and point out the wrong others are doing, but the real difference is made by people like these volunteers, like our members, like all those who are active citizens who step up to make things a little bit better. We are so proud to be working alongside those folks!
And if you are interested in an easy, fun service project for your group, your class or your family, let us know! We will be heading out there again in a couple months to pick up more trash.
We don’t know what we don’t know
Price. Quality. Convenience.
These are the Big Three when it comes to consumer behavior.
- Is it the right quality product for me? (I would include customer service and all that in the quality of the experience/product/service.)
- Is it at a price point I can afford or I feel offers the right value?
- And can I get to it conveniently?
As consumers we trade off between these things all the time. Get something that is a little less convenient and a little pricier because it is just that special. Go with the cheaper, lower quality item because I need it NOW and this will have to do.
One of the challenges for locally-owned, independent businesses and independent resellers is that people are not as aware of them. That merchant may have a better price, better quality, or be more convenient, but if the public doesn’t know they are there, it doesn’t do any good.
A recent study showed that Madison, Wisconsin has some similar challenges to the High Desert. Residents are leaving town to spend their money because they simply don’t know how many of those items are available locally. How many times have you heard someone complain that they “HAVE” to go down the hill because they can’t do or get X here? Unfortunately, that is often simply untrue. They just don’t know that they can get what they need from a local merchant. However, you don’t know what you don’t know, so we need to educate ourselves about our community’s resources.
RelyLocal is working to bring more awareness of the great products and services we have available here. Save gas, save jobs, save our local economy by relying on locally-owned, independent business! If you would like to join us by becoming a Loyal Local, becoming a business member or working with our team, please let us know! You can visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, email us or even use one of those old fashioned telephone things! We can do this together!
Image: Some rights reserved by Malinki
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