November 26, 2024 By Carol Britton Meyer (courtesy photos)
You hear it all the time – “shop local” but while it’s easier than ever to hit the click button from your device and have whatever your heart desires delivered to your doorstep, this holiday season, it’s critical for our local retailers that you think twice about those big box/digital purchases. Our local businesses are owned by our neighbors and friends who put their dollars back into our community by sponsoring community events, donating to local charities, and participating in town activities. Shopping local fosters a sense of connection and pride in our community.
Downtown Hingham is home to so many unique boutique shops and stores you can’t find elsewhere and if we want it to remain that way, we need to support them through our spending.
“Shopping local is about so much more than just supporting small businesses; it’s a way to help keep our community vibrant and unique, especially in areas like downtown Hingham,” Whitney Gordon’s Jewelers owners Lorrie and Michael Campbell told the Hingham Anchor. “As the holiday season approaches, shopping local is a wonderful way to make a meaningful impact. . . . Every purchase, no matter how small, supports our friends, families, and neighbors — creating a ripple effect that strengthens Hingham for the long term. It’s more than just buying gifts; it’s about sharing in the spirit of community and ensuring that the heart of our town continues to thrive.”
What makes their business — which the Campbells have owned since 1985 at 39 Main St. — special is the ability to source out almost anything their customers need if not already in stock and the unique pieces and services offered that larger chain stores don’t. “We love being a part of special events and milestones in our customers lives and making shopping here a personal experience,” Lorrie said.
Convenience, without long lines
The pandemic left many businesses struggling, and “while most have thankfully rebounded, there are still lingering effects,” such as the challenge of managing supply chains and adapting to customers’ changing needs, she explained. “Some shops had to adjust to new online shopping habits or enhance in-store safety and convenience, but the resilience these businesses have shown has made them even more committed to the community. We [and other downtown businesses] have been very fortunate for the support that our customers and the community have given us over the years, even through the difficult times,” Lorrie said.
Hingham Downtown Association Executive Director Amy Brown noted that while there is a “false narrative that online or big box stores are more ‘convenient,’ true convenience is being able to shop in your downtown and receive personalized service from a shop owner without long lines, shipping fees, or hours scrolling online.”
Customer service is paramount whether you need the perfect gift, outfit, or service. “Our business owners choose to be downtown because of their customers, hands down. You are taken care of. There is such a sense of gratification in serving your community, knowing your clients by name, and helping them mark all the milestones in their life. Its why they do what they do.”
Supporting local makers and shops
Acquire Good, 132 North St., offers gifts to celebrate every occasion. “We do our best to source local goods and New England-based brands, which brings ‘Shopping Local’ to a whole new level,” owner Tamala Levin told the Hingham Anchor. “In many cases, when you shop local, you are supporting a local maker and a local shop. Our community has an incredible amount of talented entrepreneurs, artists and designers.”
Holidays in Hingham are “extra magical. As a shop owner, this is our time to shine. Each and every shop in Hingham does an incredible job of rising to the occasion. In many cases, we work all year to provide products and services specific to the holidays,” Levin said. “A little known fact is that most shops begin ordering holiday products in February, with many delivered in July. As our customers can imagine, we are extra excited to showcase our shiny new merchandise!”
Acquire Good has been a part of downtown Hingham for more than seven years. “I have learned that every year is different,” Levin said. “One aspect that continues to hold strong is the support from the community and the other shop owners. My husband and I have two young kids and live close to town. We have a vested interest in the success of this vibrant community, and I want this to be a destination for not only South Shore residents but travelers from everywhere. Our cozy coastal New England town has so much to offer. We have an opportunity to grow and be innovative while upholding the traditions that make Hingham unique.”
‘We truly care about each client’
Tryst owner Kelly O’Keefe firmly believes that all local Hingham businesses are what make Hingham special and unique. “We offer so much more than big box stores, as we are invested in our community and our clients. We know people on a personal level and we truly care about each client who walks through our doors.”
Tryst — an award-winning skincare spa located at 29 Main St. — opened its doors in 2012 as a place for women to come and “truly feel special, empowered,” O’Keefe said. “Woman often feel guilt about taking ‘me time,’ and we wanted to flip that switch to say self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. An investment in yourself breathes new life into your soul and makes your day to day just that much easier and manageable. . . .Our goal is to make you feel that much better — head, heart and soul — than when you walked in.”
Tryst navigated the pandemic along with other downtown businesses. “We watched each business survive the ebb and flow of closure, opening, protocols, and we were at the mercy of each wave, but we had a community that backed us, supported us, believed in us.” O’Keefe told the Hingham Anchor. “Our community fought for us to win.”
Economy poses challenges
That said, the current state of the economy is unprecedented and is impacting downtown merchants, according to O’Keefe. “The cost of living for so many has made day to day living tough. . . .The result has been a decline in business to the point where some of these amazing businesses may not survive. I often ask myself, ‘What would you do if X business was no longer available to you? Where would you go? Would we be missed?'”
This is why shopping local is so important to maintaining the vibrancy of downtown Hingham, the merchants agree. Small Business Saturdays are one way to attract shoppers to the area to offer that support as well as shopping downtown during the week.
Sree Lenhart, owner of Hunt+Trade — a locally-owned high-end consignment shop fueled by a love for “the hunt” and great style — noted that small businesses make up roughly 40 percent of the United States economy and that in addition to keeping “taxes close to home, they are also crucial in building the community identity here in Hingham.”
Lenhart’s goal in establishing Hunt+Trade was a desire “to elevate the consignment experience by curating a trsuted community of buyers and sellers,” which she has accomplished. The shop — located at 60 South St. — offers “great brands at great prices,” affordability for higher-end brands, and “it’s better for the planet,” she told the Hingham Anchor.
Despite the state of the economy, the global secondhand apparel market is expected to grow three times faster than the overall global apparel market,” according to statistics, Lenhart noted.
“Stopping in, saying hi, and browsing the new selection that we refresh weekly,” is an easy way to support her business, she said. The same holds true for other downtown shops as well.
Shopping local in downtown Hingham provides a variety of opportunities to “shop brands from all over the world for all the people in your life, close to home. Our businesses offer curated products and experiences that are chosen with care and all wrapped up in a bow (literally),” Brown said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”
The Hingham Downtown Association deserves a holiday shout out,” Levin said. “From the festive lampposts [campaign] to the much-anticipated Christmas in the Square event, the HDA works tirelessly to ensure that the shops and other businesses are working together to make downtown a shopping destination. ”
Small Business Saturday and South Shore Bank
South Shore Bank has always been a strong supporter of local businesses. With a Banking Center conveniently located on South Street in Downtown Hingham, it is easily accessible for all your banking needs. Their team, including Laurie Dunn, Hingham’s new Banking Center Officer, are committed to being part of what makes the Hingham community so special.
Small Business Saturday kicks off the day after Thanksgiving and this year South Shore Bank wants to support our local retailers in a big way. This year, South Shore Bank and the Anchor are partnering to give away $1,000.00 in South Shore Bank Debit Cards to inspire us to shop and support our favorite local retailers. Visit @AnchorHingham on Instagram and Facebook to tag your favorite retailer for a chance to win (Giveaway coming soon)!
“We are so lucky to have a vibrant Downtown with so many incredible retailers,” shared Laurie Dunn, South Shore Bank Officer at Hingham’s South Street Branch. “We’re always excited to give back to our local community and support our retailers to ensure our local economy stays strong.”
Thank you to South Shore Bank for supporting local news through sponsorship of this article.
