Did you know that you are a very powerful person? You, as an individual, gets to choose which businesses you support. Every time you make a purchase, you are giving that business a “vote”. And that vote quite literally becomes part of a bigger economic picture. Are you voting to make your community stronger and more sustainable by shopping locally? If you are shopping online, are you choosing small businesses or a big company? These choices add up and as a collective are shaping the economy. See, you are VERY powerful!
One of the main reasons that we are thrilled to be opening a 2nd store in downtown Camp Hill is that we strongly believe that more people are choosing to throw their vote behind small, local businesses. Not only are we coming back to our roots in Camp Hill (we had a store in the Camp Hill Shopping Mall from 1984-2004), but we get to be surrounded by locally owned businesses of all kinds—many of which are owned by amazing women.
Plum Bottom owners Carla Irvin and Andrea Mason
Our next-door neighbors at the aptly named Neighbors and Smith are Little Black Dress, One Good Women (specialty coffee, tea, gourmet prepared food and gifts), Underneath it All (lingerie and private bra fittings), Moxy Salon, and Thrive Fit Co.--all are women owned! Within a short walk are Cocoa Creek Chocolates, Pennsylvania Bakery, Cornerstone Coffee, Meeka Fine Jewelry, Carmina Cristina (makeup and skin care), Beyond Beauty Skin Therapy, Dissolve Float Spa, Holmes Cycling and Fitness among others. Camp Hill is teeming with a variety of retail that will keep you fit, looking gorgeous and well-caffeinated 😉
Drawings of the Neighbors and Smith shopping center located at 1801 Market Street in Camp Hill, PA
It’s already a local gem, but I think Camp Hill is primed to become a regional shopping destination. Individually many of these unique stores draw customers from near and far. But collectively you could easily spend the entire day meandering down Market Street, enjoying a wide variety of personal care and upscale retail shopping. And I didn’t even mention the Farmer’s Market that’s just a stone’s throw down the road in Lemoyne! There truly is a lot to love about our new neighborhood.
Ribbon cutting of Phase 1 of Neighbors and Smith, Spring 2019
If the picture that I’ve painted seems idyllic, I want you to keep in mind one very important thing: all these special businesses are only going to thrive (and stay open) if you shop. While we are putting on a good face, we’ve ALL had an exceptionally tough year. That goes for your own local stores. Sometimes they are conveniently located in one central spot, like we are blessed with in Camp Hill, but other times you must seek them out. I promise, it’s worth the extra effort. The connections that you can make in these small stores can go way beyond just making a purchase. These can be places where the staff become your friends who welcome you every time you walk in the door. In this increasingly digital and distanced world, that connection is priceless.
If you don’t live in Central PA and you are still reading along--first of all, thank you—it's probably because you truly love supporting small businesses, even if they aren’t in your backyard. You are our ideal customer. You appreciate customer service, high-quality products and great value. You want to look good and feel even better. We know that shoes can be difficult to buy online and we want to make that less intimidating. In the next few weeks we are going to be launching an innovative new way to buy shoes online. I don’t want to give too much away yet, but it will be simple, fun, quick, and will match you with shoes that match your style and unique needs. Stay tuned, because I can’t wait to tell you more! If you don’t already receive updates from us, take a minute to connect with us now by clicking here.
If you live nearby, be sure to stop in Harrisburg store now and our Camp Hill store after March 1st! We’re looking forward to making new friends and welcoming those we’ve known and loved for years.
