Small businesses need us more than ever this holiday season

As the holidays get closer and 2020 comes to a close, one positive aspect we can take away from the pandemic and many challenges faced in 2020 is the spotlight it has put on the importance of shopping locally and from small businesses.

Small businesses need our support, especially during what is often the most critical sales period of the year. The holiday shopping season for many business owners has been exceptionally challenging due to mass shutdowns and the current lockdown in Toronto.

In a recent survey, 61% of small business owners believe competition for customers will be at an all-time high, and 67% of them agree e-commerce will be critical this year, according to research from American Express Canada.

Whether you’re online shopping or picking up gifts curbside, Amex Canada is continuing its efforts to remind Canadians to #ShopSmall and support your local communities.

Looking for the last of your gifts this weekend? Check out two awesome Toronto-based businesses. 

Holiday gifts for the home

Wyrth/American Express

Wyrth Home is a modern houseware store that carries aesthetically pleasing, quality goods at an accessible price point with options ranging from kitchenware to home decor. Owner Rachel Benitah was inspired to open Wyrth from personal experience, while stocking her own apartment for the first time. She found it difficult to find a store that offered modern products at a certain price point.  Right now, customers can either order from the Wyrth website or can place orders by phone for curbside pick-up.

“Supporting small business is crucial to the community,” says Benitah. “More than that, and like me personally, each small business represents somebody’s dream. The adversity that small business owners have to overcome during these times is significant, and I greatly admire the resilience of my peers.

“In shopping small, we are all chipping in to ensure that local businesses we have enjoyed over the years are there for us in the future,” she says.

Eco-friendly gift ideas

The Green Jar/American Express

The Green Jar is a refillery, offering plant-based home and care products. All of the brands are Canadian or Toronto-based and carry a range of products to help you reduce waste every day, from silicone food pouches to stainless steel straws and bamboo utensils. Most are family-run businesses, and these companies take back their containers to sanitize and reuse 12 to 20 times before recycling. Keeping their carbon footprint low was very important to business owners Tannis and Mara Bundi.

“We feel loved and very thankful to have such a supportive community behind us,” say the Bundi twins.

“Our customers have given us the strength to reach deep every day by sending us lovely emails or little notes of encouragement taped to their porch when we drop off their deliveries,” they add.

To find small businesses near you this holiday season, visit www.americanexpress.ca/maps and follow the #ShopSmall hashtag on social media to stay connected.