With Black Friday approaching, the city of Long Beach is launching a city-wide initiative hoping shoppers will support small businesses.
With most shopping being done online, local businesses are struggling to get people inside stores.
The digital and in person program has an app to let you know which small businesses are part of Shop Long Beach, buy there and you get local points to buy more.
For some new businesses in up and coming districts, they say it’s a great initiative.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
“Couple of customers say ‘I didn’t know you were involved in that, I can use that,” Levi Williams, owner of In the Cut Barbershop said.
Williams owns In the Cut Barbershop downtown, an area hit hard by unprovoked attacks and increased police patrols.
He says drawing people back has been hard, but hopes this app will be a digital step in the right direction.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
“I think it is going to be beneficial and draw customers in,” Williams said.
“This is a small business within a small business,” Marissa Lujan, owner of Dainty Disco in North Long Beach said.
At Dainty Disco, customers can buy disco ball earrings or hand crafted bags. Shop Long Beach is an idea that has been a long time coming.
“It’s supposed to increase our sales and also increase our visibility,” Lujan said.
She opened up her shop two years ago along Atlantic Avenue in North Long Beach.
She is one of just a few stores open for business on the boarded up block.
“This is a redevelopment area, encourage people to shop,” Al Austin, Long Beach City Councilman, said.
The city says more than 700 businesses citywide have signed up on the app that awards shoppers points when they buy local.
