For the eleventh year, let’s shine a light on local food, farms, and our Monadnock Region food system during New Hampshire Eats Local Month, a month-long celebration of our state’s harvest in August.
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What do we mean by a food system? Our food system includes all the pieces needed to bring local food from the farm to our plates: the soil, farm workers, transportation networks, markets, and more -- everything needed to grow, harvest, and distribute these goods to us. These pieces come together to form our local food system. Please dig in and enjoy part one of this year’s bounty of updates!
Walden Mutual Bank, based in Concord, is a new online bank rooted in the regional food system. Individuals and businesses can open an account and the bank lends this money to local food and farm businesses throughout New England. Locally, Walden Mutual helped Oliver Levick purchase Monadnock Berries in Troy from his parents. “The mutual part of our name means we are cooperative, which means we are owned by our community of account holders and allows us to build a bank for the next 100 years,” said Chloe Wingerter, Walden Mutual Business Development Officer. “We offer customizable loans across the entire value chain, which includes everything from production farms, distributors, processors, co-packers, and consumer trade brands, to even ag-adjacent businesses such as solar energy.”
This August, Round It Up (round up your purchases to donate your change) at Monadnock Food Co-op’s registers to benefit Food Connects, a food hub based in Brattleboro, VT. New this year: The Co-op will pilot an additional way to Round It Up in August, virtually through The Local Crowd Monadnock.
Round It Up
Funds raised will support the Food Connects Farm to School initiative in the Monadnock Region. Their program offers professional development and local food purchasing support to school professionals, grant support for schools, and printed materials, including Harvest of the Month calendars, posters, cookbooks, and other signage to bolster and promote Farm to School initiatives. In partnership with The Monadnock Regional School District and the Cornucopia Project, Food Connects will help the Monadnock Farm to School network thrive and create a new generation of mindful eaters.
“The Co-op’s Round It Up program has proven to be a powerful tool in rallying community support and making a tangible difference in the lives of children in our region,” said Richard Berkfield, Executive Director and Founder of Food Connects. “The support from the Monadnock Food Coop not only helps us foster a healthier and more sustainable food system but also enables us to educate and inspire the next generation about the importance of local agriculture and healthy eating.”
Attend the fifth annual Monadnock Farm Tour and After Party on Saturday, August 19, from 12 – 8 pm. Participating Monadnock farms will open their barns, pastures, hoop houses, flower gardens, and production facilities. The event highlights how farms contribute to our local economy, their role in preserving open space, and how they contribute to our quality of life. The tour runs from 12 – 5 pm and costs $10 per car. The After Party happens at Outlaw Brewing in Winchester from 5 – 8 pm. This free, kid-friendly event offers delicious food from the Outlaw Food Truck, outstanding brews, and live music. A 50/50 raffle will take place to benefit Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition (MFCC) to keep our local food system robust.
“After a wonderful afternoon of shopping at local farms, visiting the animals, walking the vegetable or flower fields, or learning a bit more about a bee farm, we’re very excited to offer folks a nice, family-friendly evening where you can sit back and eat great food, listen to great music, and imbibe delicious, on-tap brews at Outlaw Brewing,” shared Roe-Ann Tasoulas, MFCC Executive Director. “We are so lucky to be surrounded by such a wide variety of farm experiences, products, and farmers. We hope everyone can get out for a memorable afternoon and evening!"
Join the Monadnock Farm to School Network for a Farm to School Day Camp for Teachers at the Cornucopia Project Educational Farm in Peterborough on Monday, August 21, from 10 am – 3 pm. This free camp will provide teachers classroom-ready curriculum through demonstrations, a farm tour, group activities, and games -- just like a real camp. The event includes a delicious lunch and a chance to win a raised garden bed or compost bin. Professional development credits are available. The Monadnock Farm To School Network members include Cornucopia Project, Stonewall Farm, and Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition.
Register Today
Stay tuned for part two of this article in August, including local food and farm updates from Acworth Village Store, Cheshire County Conservation District, Cornucopia Project, and more! Thank you to all the individuals, programs, policies, and initiatives that continue to build a more robust local and regional food system in our corner of the state and throughout New England. Together, we’re cultivating healthier citizens, communities, and economies.
It's time to start planning for this year's Plaid Friday, Cider Monday, and Shop Indie Local efforts! We're kicking off our Shop Indie Local planning efforts with a crowdfunding campaign. The more funds we raise, the more we'll amplify our message.
Together, we will:
Show off your dedication to the local economy movement and support our Shop Indie Local efforts today! Shop Indie Local includes supporting Plaid Friday, Cider Monday, Small Business Saturday, and other promotions happening November 1 - December 31, 2023. With your support, we will continue to build traction -- inspiring more and more AND MORE community participation and media attention. Please consider supporting this year’s Plaid Friday, Cider Monday, and Shop Indie Local campaign at one (or more!) of the levels below.
Your logo will appear in our Cider Monday ad in the Monadnock Shopper News (~60,000 weekly readers).
Your logo will appear in our Plaid Friday ad in the Monadnock Shopper News (~60,000 weekly readers).
Your logo will appear in our Plaid Friday AND Cider Monday ad in the Monadnock Shopper News (~60,000 weekly readers) AND the Keene Sentinel (delivered to ~10,000 households).
Sponsor a Plaid Friday launch in your town or at your business. Your name and logo will appear on our Launch Event marketing materials and press release. We'll plan this launch together. All sponsorship pledges are due by October 31, 2023. Send us an email to pledge your sponsorship or click on the button below to purchase your sponsorship through our crowdfunding campaign. Please let me know if you have any questions and thank you for all you do to support our local economy each and every day.
Last year, The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock launched our first-ever Staycation Challenge. It went so well that we’re bringing the challenge back for another year!
Summer means vacation for many of us. However, taking a vacation doesn’t have to include traveling far from home to get away. Take a Staycation and experience all the Monadnock Region has to offer. You’ll save money at the gas pumps and make new connections to nurture throughout the year. The money you spend recirculates in our local economy, building more community health and wealth.
Enter TLC Monadnock’s Staycation Challenge by pledging to spend your dollars only at locally owned businesses for one day, one week, or the entire month of July.
Learn More
Take our pre-survey now and then a post-survey coming in late July. Complete both surveys for your chance to win our Staycation package.
This year’s winner of our Staycation Package will receive a two-night stay for two at the Inn at East Hill Farm, a farm stay in Troy (includes six delicious home-cooked meals, activities, and use of their facilities); two classes at Aloha Keene, a community center for healthy living in Keene with a regular schedule of yoga and more; one $50 gift card from The Toadstool Bookshops in Keene and Peterborough; One $20 gift certificate from Catbird Flower Farm in Keene (good for their roadside flower stand from May - September); and one $125 gift certificate from Healthy Home Habitats in Keene for a one-hour landscape & garden design consultation. We’ll announce our winner in mid-August.
Why not start Staycationing now? Here are a few events in June to add to your Staycation plans.
Downtown storefronts will transform into art galleries during Keene ArtWalk on June 2 – 11. Stroll up and down Main Street to view the works of local artists. The Art is Everywhere event will happen on Saturday, June 3 from 11 am – 4 pm, as the ArtWalk expands to Railroad Square with performances and interactive art activities. Also, watch artists paint at different downtown locations from 10 am – 1 pm. Check out all the details here.
On June 3, downtown Keene also comes alive with food! The Keene Young Professional Network will host the third annual Taste of Keene Food Festival at the top of Main Street from 11:30 am – 3:30 pm. Enjoy music at Central Square (from pop covers to classic rock) and street performers hosted by The Colonial Theatre.
Purchase small bites and mocktails from twenty-three local restaurants and food producers. New vendors include Prime Roast Coffee, Jenna’s Market, and Muse Tapas Bar & Lounge. Get your food tokens today and save: tasteofkeene.com.
Don’t forget to visit the Taste of Keene’s local craft biergarten to sip on a selection of our region's best brews and spirits (21 and over). Please bring your ID. Purchase beverage tickets at the event. Stay tuned for the Taste of Keene’s full schedule.
On June 22, from 1 – 3 pm, enjoy Pollinator Palooza -- an afternoon of learning and celebration of pollinators at Ashuelot River Park in Keene. This event coincides with National Pollinator Week. Activities include a pollinator scavenger hunt, creating your own bee box, painting your own pot for a native plant, and more.
Local plant and compost vendors will sell a variety of products, with 20% of sales supporting Cheshire County Conservation District’s programs. Vendors include Fassett Farm Nursery, Thistle Dew Farm, Julie's Garden, Phylicia Roberts, Cook Hill Farm, and Echo Farm Puddings. Learn more.
Gilsum will ROCK the weekend of June 24 – 25 during the Gilsum Rock Swap & Mineral Show at the Gilsum Elementary School and Community Center. Browse tables, tables, and tables of gems, jewelry, and minerals for sale or swap. Grab a meal and pan for minerals. At 1 pm on Saturday, New Hampshire mineral expert Tom Mortimer will present. View the full schedule.
TLC Monadnock will join with the American Independent Business Alliance and partners throughout North America to celebrate LGBTQ+ owned businesses, diversity, and equity. Our regional partners include Keene Family YMCA, Keene Pride, Monadnock Food Co-op, and Prime Roast Coffee Co. Learn more. Monadnock Food Co-op will launch weekly Round It Up Donation Drives for four organizations focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts this June. The Co-op's Round It Up donation program empowers us to positively impact our community by rounding up our change at the register to support local nonprofits.
June 3 – 9: American Independent Business Alliance AMIBA provides DEI resources and training for campaigns run locally by The Local Crowd Monadnock. Campaigns include Choose Black-Owned Month, Pride Month, and seven other campaigns. June 10 -16: The Daily Good The Daily Good supports food security and diversity through food pantries on local college campuses and other centers. June 17 – 23: Keene Pride Keene Pride supports a coalition of services, organizations, and businesses that embrace and serve the LGBTQ+ population. June 24 – 30: Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition The MDEIB Coalition advocates for and develop DEI initiatives in the region. We each play a critical role in creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive region. Our Co-op is proud to support these four organizations and the work they do collectively to make our community more welcoming. Stay tuned for Staycation updates. Happy local adventures!
Monadnock Food Co-op is excited to launch weekly Round It Up Donation Drives for four organizations focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts this June.
The Co-op’s Round It Up donation program empowers you to positively impact your community by rounding up your change to support local nonprofits.
June 3 – 9: American Independent Business Alliance
Provides DEI resources and training for Choose Indie Local campaigns run locally by The Local Crowd Monadnock. Campaigns include Choose Black-Owned Month and eight other campaigns. The Local Crowd Monadnock’s June campaign is Pride Month.
LEARN MORE
June 10 -16: The Daily Good
Supports food security and diversity through food pantries on local college campuses and other centers.
June 17 – 23: Keene Pride
Supports a coalition of services, organizations, and businesses that embrace and serve the LGBTQ+ population.
June 24 – 30: Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition
Advocates for and develops DEI initiatives in the region.
“Each of us plays a critical role in creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive region,” said Jen Risley, Monadnock Food Co-op Community Coordinator. “Our Co-op is proud to support these four organizations and the work they do collaboratively to make our community more welcoming and strong.”
The Keene Downtown Group recently launched the Building a More Walkable Keene crowdfunding campaign through The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock.
Support this campaign today!
The funds raised will support bringing Jeff Speck, author and urban designer who advocates internationally for more walkable cities, to Keene on June 12, 2023. Speck has literally written the book on the subject, the 2012 classic Walkable City, the best-selling city planning title of the past decade. Speck has helped communities large and small understand how walkability supports common goals like increasing tourism, economic activity, public health, safety, and sustainability. His wealth of experience, knowledge, and vision allows him to serve as an invaluable resource to each community he works with, whether the discussion focuses on big-picture change or targeted incremental improvements. "As our city grapples with major decisions about public space and infrastructure, there could not be a better time to welcome Jeff to our community and benefit from his perspective," said Todd Horner, Vice-Chair of the Keene Bicycle and Pedestrian Pathway Advisory Committee. "We owe it to ourselves and future generations to consider all our options, including ideas that a foremost expert like Jeff can bring to the table. When making tough choices about our world-class city, we should have world-class ideas at our fingertips." Offline donations are also accepted. Checks can be made out to Keene Downtown Group, PO Box 80, Keene, NH, 03431. Please add "Jeff Speck" to the memo. This crowdfunding campaign continues through May.
The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) recently changed their Shop Indie Local program to the name Choose Indie Local. While the name change seems subtle, this shift moves us closer to our vision: Community members at all levels participate as investors, creators, and Indie Local champions — inspired by independent businesses’ impact on community health and wealth.
When we Choose Indie Local, we do so much more than just shop – we bank, invest, create, and donate to boost the ripple effect of economic and community benefits we receive when we support our local economy. Together, we build strong local, equitable, and sustainable economies.
This April, celebrate Move Your Money Month with AMIBA and The Local Crowd Monadnock. What’s Move Your Money Month? It’s a time to look at where you deposit and invest your dollars and ask, can you move your money closer to home -- by banking with a community bank or credit union and investing in locally owned businesses in our region?
“Thank you, Silicon Valley Bank, for going belly up just as we at AMIBA prepared for Move Your Money Month in April,” said Michael Shuman, local economist and AMIBA board member. “Seriously, we worried that this slogan, popularized during the 2008 financial meltdown by Occupy Wall Street, might have lost its relevance. But here we are, once again, reminded that the global financial system is too complex, too opaque, and too risky. The solution—as we learned fifteen years ago—is to embrace a localized financial system that is more simple, transparent, and safe.” When you bank locally at a community bank or credit union in our region, more of your dollars recirculate throughout our local economy -- building more local jobs and prosperity.
Traditional banks, publicly traded and owned by stockholders, exist to provide a return on investment to its owners. Community banks, on the other hand, are privately owned and not publicly traded. While credit unions are cooperatives, meaning the members own it -- the people who use its services and live or work locally. “Savings Bank of Walpole is a mutual bank [a type of community bank],” shared President Mark Bodin. “Which means we are free of the short-term earnings demands of shareholders, venture capitalists, and other groups of owners. We are owned by our depositors and our community -- and our earnings stay right here with our bank and our community.”
Move Your Money closer to home and closer to your heart by choosing a bank more in line with your values. Who do you bank with now? Search for them at mightydeposits.com and find out what your bank does with your money. Discover how many dollars your bank invests in your community. Want to Move Your Money closer to home?
In addition to moving your money to a community bank or credit union, we encourage you to invest in locally owned businesses. Why? The Monadnock Region Indie Impact Study found that businesses rooted in our region recirculate up to four times more money in our local economy compared to national chain stores. If we invested more capital in locally owned businesses, we’d see a return on investment that included more community health and wealth.
“U.S. households and nonprofits held just over $18 trillion in banks in the form of deposits, checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market funds in 2022,” said Shuman. “But it’s nothing compared to the other securities we hold. Americans now have $71 trillion in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension funds, and insurance funds—nearly all of it invested in global corporations. If you and your neighbors could shift even a small amount of that capital from Wall Street to Main Street, your local economy could flourish.” Ready to learn more? Sign up for The Main Street Journal, published by Michael Shuman, highlighting local investing news and events. Also, we’ll share local investing opportunities on our website throughout Move Your Money Month.
Stay tuned!
We’ll also celebrate Earth Day in April. “Invest in Our Planet,” this year’s theme, connects perfectly with Move Your Money Month. Find ways to share your time, talents, and treasures with our planet by investing in locally owned businesses, sustainable agriculture, alternative transportation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and equity.
Need some inspiration? Join us at Monadnock Earth Festival on Saturday, April 22 from 12 pm – 4 pm in downtown Keene. Learn about what others are doing and making to invest in our planet, enjoy performers, and participate in activities from Railroad Square Park to the Monadnock Food Co-op. Hope to see you there!
Here's a summary of our major accomplishments for last year:
TLC Monadnock can't do this work without your support, so again THANK YOU! We can't wait to see what we accomplish together in 2023.
What’s Move Your Money Month? It’s a time to inspire you to move your money closer to home -- by banking with a community bank or credit union and investing in locally owned businesses in our region. Move Your Money Month is part of the Shop Indie Local movement, urging individuals to boost the ripple effect of economic and community benefits we receive when we spend and invest our dollars at locally owned businesses.
When you move your money to a community bank or credit union in our region, more of your dollars recirculate throughout our local economy -- building more local jobs and prosperity.
To back up a bit, what’s the difference between traditional banks, community banks, and credit unions? Traditional banks, publicly owned by stockholders, exist to provide a return on investment to its owners. Typically, these owners do not live where the bank does business. Community banks are privately owned and not publicly traded. These banks usually serve a specific geographical region. A credit union is a cooperative, meaning its members own it -- the people who use its services and live or work locally.
“The fortunes of local banks and credit unions are intimately tied to the fortunes of their local communities. The more the community prospers, the more the local bank benefits,” said Stacy Mitchell from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. “Big banks, in contrast, are not tethered to the places where they operate. Indeed, they often use a community’s deposits to make investments in other regions or on Wall Street.”
Banking with a community bank or credit union often means getting the same services at lower fees than larger banks. Yup, more value for you and your community. “Average fees at small banks and credit unions are substantially lower than at big banks,” added Stacy. “Studies show that small financial institutions also offer, on average, better interest rates on savings and better terms on credit cards and other loans.”
Move Your Money closer to home and closer to your heart by choosing a bank more in line with your values. Who do you bank with now? Search for them at mightydeposits.com and find out what your bank does with your money. Discover how many dollars your bank invests in your community.
“The primary activity of almost all small banks and credit unions is to turn deposits into loans and other productive investments,” shared Stacy. “Meanwhile, big banks devote a sizeable share of their resources to speculative trading and other Wall Street bets that may generate big profits for the bank but provide little economic or social value for the rest of us and can put the entire financial system at risk if they go bad.”
Learn more about community banking at ilsr.org/banking.
Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Community Bank or Credit Union
In addition to moving your money to a community bank or credit union, we encourage you to invest in locally owned businesses. Why? The Monadnock Region Indie Impact Study found that businesses rooted in our region recirculate up to four times more money in our local economy compared to national chain stores. If we invested more capital in locally owned businesses, we’d see a return on investment that included more jobs and community prosperity.
“Americans now have $56 trillion in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension funds, and insurance funds—nearly all of it invested in global corporations,” said Michael Shuman, author and local economist. “If you and your neighbors could shift even a small amount of that capital from Wall Street to Main Street, your local economy could flourish.”
Ready to learn more? Sign up for The Main Street Journal, published by Michael Shuman, highlighting local investing news and events. Also, we’ll share local investing opportunities on our website throughout Move Your Money Month.
Need some inspiration? Join us at Monadnock Earth Festival on April 22, from 12 pm – 4 pm in downtown Keene. Learn about what others are doing and making to invest in our planet, enjoy performers, and participate in activities from Railroad Square Park to the Monadnock Food Co-op. Hope to see you there!
This Valentine’s Day, show your “local love” -- love for your sweetie and your whole community -- by purchasing gifts (or gift-making supplies) and meals (or ingredients) at locally owned businesses. Last year, Americans spent $23.9 billion on Valentine’s Day. Imagine if we shifted some of that spending to locally owned businesses!
Locally owned businesses offer us much to love. They strengthen our local economy, culture, and well-being. Independent businesses re-circulate more money in our community than chain stores. Moreover, studies show that small businesses create most new jobs, meaning today’s local Valentines are tomorrow’s jobs.
Last year’s National Retail Federation survey found that 53 percent of Americans planned to celebrate with candy, greeting cards, and flowers.
Small businesses made it to the top five Valentine’s shopping destinations in National Retail Federation’s survey. The local love spirit is growing! So, continue to show lots of local love this Valentine’s Day. That love will circle back to you, your loved ones, and — best of all — your entire community.
If you plan to shop for Valentine’s gifts online, please check if your favorite locally owned shop has an online store. Or browse our online collection of Valentine’s Day items from independent businesses at TLC Monadnock Mercantile.
Here are some extra special ways to show your local love this Valentine’s Day: Purchase chocolates from Ava Marie Handmade Chocolates in Peterborough, Life is Sweet Candy Shop in Keene, Ye Goodie Shoppe in Keene, and L.A. Burdick Chocolates in Walpole. Have you seen Burdick’s seasonal Chocolate Rabbits to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit? Adorable and available to ship now through January 27. Give a gift that keeps giving, select a weekly Flower CSA Share from Vera Flora Farm in Gilsum, Ripple Cut Flower Farm in Peterborough, or Catbird Flower Farm in Keene. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, meaning your purchase of a share now helps these farmers invest in the future growing season with confidence -- knowing that their bounty will go to a good home. Send a greeting card from Tree-Free Greetings. They make their cards out of sustainable materials such as kenaf, hemp, wheat straw, and sugarcane waste -- right at their solar-powered facility here in Keene. Tree-Free donates 25% of their revenue (not just their profits) to nonprofits through their Cards for a Cause program. Pick up a card online or at Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene. On February 10, join the Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene for their Local Love Sample Night from 4-6 p.m. Enjoy free samples of local and regional goodies perfect for a Valentine’s Day gift or to complement a Valentine’s Day meal.
Check out other local Valentine's events in 2023:
Looking for another way to show the local love and support local economies everywhere? Support our Shop Indie Local crowdfunding campaign on The Local Crowd Monadnock and fuel our year-round movement to grow more local, equitable, and inclusive economies.
With your help, we’ll strengthen campaigns like Plaid Friday and Eat Local Month in your community and throughout North America. Plus, we’ll add new efforts like Move Your Money and Shop Black-Owned Month.
Give Today
Offline donations are also accepted. Checks should be made out to AMIBA with “Shop Indie Local” in the memo and mailed to AMIBA, 524 Boston Post Road, Wayland, MA, 01778. Thank you for fueling the Shop Indie Local Movement!
Whether a pop-up shop, pop-up event, or pop-up planning process – the Pop-Up Economy means that whatever pops up is temporary. This short-term status makes pop-ups less risky than setting up something permanent and typically requires less investment of time and money. It allows entrepreneurs to test a new product or business idea and see how the community responds.
Check out these upcoming pop-up events here in the Monadnock Region.
Northeast Wine Company will offer Vintage: A Pop-Up Wine Experience on January 5 and February 2 from 2 – 7 p.m. at Brewtopia on Washington Street in Keene. Taste, learn about, and purchase hard-to-find wines at retail cost.
“The American Northeast is currently experiencing a renaissance of wine production, making high-quality and unique wines in every state,” said Sarah Trubnick, owner of Northeast Wine Company. “Northeast Wine Company is dedicated to showcasing sustainably and responsibly produced wines from small wineries throughout these emerging regions. We strive to make these wines available in restaurants and wine shops across New Hampshire and increase public awareness of the Northeast’s unique terroir.”
This event is free, but participants must be 21+ years old. Please register in advance. Learn more about Northeast Wine Company.
Save the date for this pop-up! The Monadnocker is thrilled to announce their Local Community Pop-Up on May 20 at His & Hers Farm in Alstead.
“Think fresh air, flowers, and sunshine! The farm’s vintage, lovingly restored barn will feature talented makers from the area with handcrafted goods, foodie flavors, and sweet surprises. Wander His & Hers Farm with its slopes, pergolas, terrace, and garden scapes, all thoughtfully created by kind and generous husband and wife owners, Dean & Wendy,” shared Caroline Tremblay from The Monadnocker. “Together, we’re planning an event filled with lives tunes, games on the grass, and crafting activities for all! If you heard the buzz about our Greenhouse Pop-Up in 2022, you know this is not a day you want to miss.”
TheMonadnocker.com is a digital, local magazine designed to spark, delight in, and celebrate the local experiences that make Southern New Hampshire so extraordinary.
Here are two pop-up examples beyond our region to inspire the growth of our Pop-Up Economy: Holiday Pop-Up Shops in Oklahoma City and Replay Lincoln Park in Chicago.
Each December since 2012, an empty corner in Oklahoma City has transformed into an outdoor shopping destination called The Holiday Pop-Up Shops. This pop-up generated over $650,000 in sales for participating shops last year and raised significant funds for its organizer, the Independent Shopkeepers Association.
Imagine cozy igloo dome tents chocked full of unique products from locally owned businesses, a Christmas tree at the center of this festive scene (much like the one on Keene’s Central Square), plus other decorations and temporary structures to host shopkeepers and attract and delight residents and visitors alike. “The Holiday Pop-Ups aren't just about supporting local shops; they're also about connecting our community through placemaking,” shared the Independent Shopkeepers Association. “We encourage customers to find new shops during the Pop-Ups and support those shops at their brick-and-mortar locations the rest of the year.” New this year, The Holiday Pop-Up Shops offered a limited number of Top Shopper Happy Hour preview passes, giving true fans access to three preview shopping nights before the shops opened to the public. Happy Hour shoppers also received special goodies from partners and sponsors. Discover more!
A vintage arcade bar in Chicago called Replay Lincoln Park offers unique experiences by launching pop-up themes. Currently, the arcade bar hosts A Very Harry Christmas Pop-Up, transforming the bar into a Harry Potter-themed winter experience with special cocktails, magical photo opportunities, and fun events throughout the month. Past pop-up themes included The Office, Shrek's Swamp, Moe's Tavern, and many more.
“These pop-up shops are a celebration of pop culture and complement our core mission, said Mark Kwia, the manager at Replay. “We’re a vintage arcade bar that celebrates an easier, more youthful time. Never grow up; it’s a trap!”
Have ideas to make our community pop with the Pop-Up Economy? Share your vision with us at jen@thelocalcrowd.com.
The Local Crowd Monadnock - Keene, NH
