The season of giving and thanks is upon us, and it is especially important to do your part in helping those who contribute to our community. One way that you can do this is by participating in Small Business Saturday, taking place on November 25th. There are so many ways to shop small locally, and I would go as far as to say that most, if not all, of your holiday shopping can be done locally at these businesses. Grand Forks has an abundance of small businesses that sell goods that are appealing to all sorts of people. It can also be a great time to check out a new business just to treat yourself to something nice. 

If you or someone you know has a love for music, you may consider making a stop at Ojata Records located just down University Avenue. They have vinyl records for sale, music equipment, comic books, arcade games, posters, and other décor. If you want to get someone a nice gift, they have gift cards available and great food too. Budget Music is also a great place to shop at when looking for music-related gifts, and if you are looking for musical instruments or equipment, two other local businesses are Kenny’s Music Shoppe and Popplers Music. 

As college students, we are always looking for nice places to study. Two popular small business coffeeshops that people find themselves studying at, especially during the winter season, are Urban Stampede downtown and Archives on campus. These are great places to support during the holiday season by purchasing gift cards for friends who want a new place to study or by going there to get a warm drink for yourself while studying for finals. 

If you are looking to treat yourself to a nice meal with friends this holiday season, there are some great local places to try. These include Blue Moose in East Grand Forks, Ely’s Ivy downtown, Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, House of Punjab, and of course the beloved Red Pepper located just down University Avenue and so many others that I did not mention. These places can be great stops to make on Small Business Saturday to eat at or even to purchase a gift card for someone you know. 

There are a lot of small boutiques to shop at in town as well. These include places like The Silo Boutique, Kittsona, Northern Roots Boutique, and so many more. Another place that showcases the products of local creators and sellers is Picks. It is here that you can find a lot of cool vintage pieces or newer modern art pieces created by people in town. 

It is also important to shop from online small businesses, both local and not local. One way you can do this is by finding the social media or websites of local artists or vendors who might normally sell at summer events like the farmer’s market to see how you can still get their products during the winter. One of my favorites from in town are ST Salsa’s, whose delicious salsa can be ordered online. There are plenty of other small businesses who sell their products online too; you just have to search for them. 

Supporting these places on Small Business Saturday is important, but it is even more important to support them throughout the whole year. These businesses contribute so much to our community and their efforts often go overlooked. Often times the owners and creators involved with these businesses are great people who truly love what they do and appreciate any help and support they can get. Make sure that you make an effort to support these wonderful businesses this holiday season. 

Nora Lee is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].