ShopLocalLou.com to support Louisville’s small businesses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — To make supporting local businesses even easier this holiday season, the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) has partnered with Community Ventures to relaunch ShopLocalLou.com, a shared eCommerce website featuring goods from Louisville small businesses.

ShoplocalLou.com is run by Community Ventures Operation Local (Opllo) program and allows consumers to purchase gifts and services from multiple Louisville area businesses in one transaction and then either pick orders up from the stores or have them delivered.

Mayor Greg Fischer, LIBA Executive Director Jennifer Rubenstein, and Community Ventures Director of eCommerce Lowell Sellards touted the website on Cyber Monday at Just Creations, a not-for-profit Fair Trade store that is one of the businesses featured on the site. Just Creations sells unique, handmade products to support Fair Trade artisans, as well as conducts educational outreach and community engagement programs.

“When you shop at a local business, you are not just helping that one business; you are impacting our community by keeping those dollars here locally and supporting local jobs,” said Mayor Fischer. “We must support our local entrepreneurs, so they can continue offering the wonderful goods Louisville loves.”

Rubenstein encouraged local businesses who are interested in posting their goods on ShopLocalLou.com to become a vendor as the site will stay up year-round.

“We know that online shopping continues to grow in importance,” said Rubenstein. “We are offering consumers the same convenience they get from the mega online retailers but exclusively with Louisville-area businesses that they can feel good supporting.”

“As a local nonprofit business, we appreciate that the site is run by two Kentucky nonprofits,” said Joan Frisz, Executive Director of Just Creations. “We can feel confident that they will always put the interests of local businesses first.”

“Locally-owned independent businesses are the heartbeat of our community,” said Community Ventures’ Sellards. “Shopping local builds strong and resilient economies, creates jobs, and contributes to the culture and unique identity of our town. Community Ventures recognizes the importance of these businesses and, through Operation Local, plans to make experiencing local even easier for consumers to accomplish.”

In addition to Just Creations, some of the locally owned retailers participating include Kentucky Made and More, Moss Hill Bath & Body, Beaded Treasures, AA Clay Studios, and more. Other vendors and items will be added to the site over the coming weeks, creating a robust online resource for anyone looking to shop local year-round.

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