Why You Should Shop Small

With the holidays and Black Friday rapidly approaching, I decided to write about shopping small. I did not realize how important it is to support small businesses until I started working for one.

Without getting too in-depth, when you support a local business, you are giving back to that community. You can also find unique items that you can’t find at other big brand name stores. And of course, you can’t beat the exceptional and personalized customer service.

That is why this past weekend, I headed to Long Beach to shop at two amazing small businesses, And Then LB and The Better Half Boutique. Located at 3803 Atlantic Ave, these two stores are next door to each other and actually share a wall.

If you are a Long Beach local, you probably are familiar with both these businesses. If not, I’m here to spread the word! Check out my TikTok to get a feel of what both stores are like and read on below to learn more. P.S. you can shop online or in-store at both!

@lesliestefv

Went shopping with my bff Jenny in LB! 💓 ##fyp ##longbeach ##lbc ##smallbuisnesscheck @galpaljenn

♬ Skate - Trees and Lucy

• And Then LB:

As I said in my TikTok, this is a great place to buy gifts. They have an amazing selection of accessories, clothing, and more. All of it is vintage-inspired and they even have some vintage pieces. The pastel aesthetic is everything to me and very similar to my own. I stumbled upon And Then LB on Instagram some time ago and earlier this year, I bought a strawberry-patterned face mask that is so adorable and protective. Well, I bought, even more, face masks because a girl can’t have enough!

You can purchase the mask above here. I actually ended up buying three masks but accidentally got charged for four. I noticed the mistake when I got home and I sent them a message through Instagram. Someone got back to me and was incredibly gracious about the entire thing and refunded me what I was owed and the cost of another mask (I essentially got one mask for free). Overall, this is a lovely store with great customer service and I highly recommend it.

And then LB is open from Tuesday-Sunday from 11-5

• The Better Half Boutique

This is a store that was new to me. Since it’s right next door to And Then LB, I of course had to check it out. This small boutique sells gifts, home decor, and personalized engraved gifts. It was also full of Christmas and holiday items for the season. I couldn’t resist and I ended up buying a cheeky ornament for my family’s Christmas tree (seen below!).

This cost only $12 (with tax). I must say that’s a pretty good deal and my mom absolutely loved it! You can follow them on Instagram here.

The Better Half boutique is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11-5

I hope you consider buying from a small business this holiday season. I know it’s so convenient and easy to buy from Amazon or Target but trust me when I tell you that buying from a small business will make you feel good. I love Long Beach and although I don’t live there, I love that I can still support my college town by shopping at these places.

Alright guys that’s a wrap on today’s blog post! But before I leave, I want to wish you all a very safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Much love to all

XOXO

-Leslie V