The great thing about the current generation of ecommerce is that you can find just about anything, anywhere. Locally made ugly sweaters with the most up-to-the-minute reference to what’s going on in town? Check.
The challenge can be finding exactly the right option amidst the crowd, and that’s where coordinators and curators — in the media and in the business community — come in.
Just today, I was looking to expand my local-shopping palette; thanks to Washingtonian, I came across the Shop Small D.C. site, which aggregates and lightly curates makers and sellers in the capital region.
This was, apparently, a mid-Covid adaptation — and a great example of the way even a relatively simple solution can really pay off. It’s not as easy to search as Amazon, but simply clicking on fun logos brought me to some great shops I would likely never have found otherwise.
If you’re looking for a unique bundle of joy, your best friend is likely a good bundler of small sources.
Colin Steele 