With exactly two months to go until Christmas Day 2023, Canberrans are being encouraged to shop local this year. As the gift giving season approaches, local retail playground POP Canberra, which is home to over 250 Canberra region makers, reiterates how shopping local and supporting Canberra region makers can make a very real difference to their lives.
POP Canberra’s Founder, Gabe Trew, says throughout his time in business with POP over the past five years, the business has supported over 800 small businesses who have together made an estimated $5 million through selling with POP. The ultimate goal of course is to support local makers and creators, and when people buy their products they are supporting a genuine small maker, artist or creator, from many different age groups, backgrounds and walks of life.
“When we choose to shop local, we’re not merely engaging in a transaction, we’re weaving a meaningful narrative in the heart of our community. We’re embracing makers, artists, dreamers, and entrepreneurs who pour their heart and soul into everything they do,” said Gabe Trew, Founder of POP Canberra.
“Each local purchase is both a nod to tradition and a hope for the future, ensuring that we retain our artistic spirit. Canberra has a strong beating heart of small businesses and inspiring creatives in each corner of every suburb.
“Supporting local is showing a commitment to the soul of our community and allowing Canberra to continue being a national leader of small business and creative industry,” Gabe continued.
Gabe’s sentiments come hot on the heels of the ACT Government City Renewal Authority’s launch last week of the City Christmas Gift Guide, an interactive online platform which collates local business offerings for the festive season, so that Canberrans can really get behind the best of local gift ideas for their holiday shopping.
One local maker POP Canberra has supported over the past year demonstrates just how much of a big impact being supported by the local community can have. Amanda Stevens is a local Canberra Region jewellery maker who credits POP Canberra to helping her sustain her business, ‘LLL Designs’, through a really difficult time in her life.
Living with a chronic illness, Amanda creates her own earrings from her home and is passionate about making something really unique for the local community. Amanda makes one of a kind, fun, happy and eye-catching earrings and specialty items. She says she was able to make it through several hardships and health battles last year with the support of the local community, and being able to make a living out of creating and selling through POP Canberra without having to do any ’front of house’ work.
“POP Canberra’s support has been vital to keeping LLL Designs afloat while I closed my online shop to focus on recovering from severe illness. I look forward to seeing my business grow further with POP Canberra” said Amanda.
“Shopping local is investing in your own backyard. Every local purchase boosts the Canberra ecosystem, ensuring money circulates closer to home, strengthening the very foundation of our small business community. It’s not just about the immediate sales, it’s about creating a resilient, sustainable, and vibrant local economy,” said Gabe.
“By choosing to support local businesses, we foster innovation, we allow for diversity in skills, and keep the decision-making power within our community. Shopping local isn’t just a purchase. It’s a strategic investment in the future of our local community,” Gabe concluded.
POP Canberra is located at 27 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Open 7 days a week including late night shopping from Thursday to Saturday. Customers can also buy locally made POP goodies online with the POP Shop Local app, available for download now. For more information on POP Canberra visit www.popcanberra.com.au