The other day I started to walk across the street to CVS to pick up some deodorant because I’ve been using my boyfriend’s for about a month when it occurred to me that I could instead walk across the street to Healthy Home Market and buy the exact same deodorant (Toms, cruelty-free what’s up) while also supporting a local business. Boom, done. Easy.
I then started to think about how many other ways I could make the same easy decision to put #CharlotteFirst as much as possible. Thus, this list was born.
At a time of big growth for Charlotte and the consequential closing of some of our smaller local joints to make room, voting with our dollars is one way to help keep those little doors open.
So here is a thorough but not comprehensive list of 50 ways to put #CharlotteFirst when you spend money…
Food & Drink
(1) Instead of IHOP, Original Pancake House… or Crispy Crepe… or Toast
(2) Instead of Panda Express, HoHo Cherry House. (Ted!) | Agenda feature
(3) Instead of Starbucks, Daily Press…
(4) … or Smelly Cat
(5) … or Ozpresso
(6) … or Central Coffee
(7) … or Hex Coffee | Agenda feature
(8) … or Not Just Coffee
(9) Instead of Larabar, bruks bars
(10) Instead of Whole Foods, Healthy Home Market
(11) Instead of Subway, Sandwich Max
(12) Instead of Chipotle, Picante…
(13) … or Sabor
(14) … or Phat Burrito
(15) … or Burrito Factory
(16) Instead of Smoothie King, Carolina Smoothies
(17) Instead of Dunkin’ Donuts, Your Mom’s Donuts | Agenda feature
(18) Instead of Red Robin, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar | Agenda feature
(19) Instead of GT’s Kombucha, Lenny Boy | Agenda feature
(20) Instead of Brueggers, Owen’s Bagels…
(21) … or Poppy’s Bagels
(22) Instead of Baskin Robbins, Elizabeth Creamery | Agenda feature
(23) Instead of literally any other beer, Sycamore Brewing | Agenda feature
(24) … or NoDa Brewing Company
(25) … or Birdsong Brewing Company | Agenda feature
(26) … or Triple C Brewing Co.
(27) … or Unknown Brewing Co.
(28) … or Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
(29) Instead of Captain Morgan, Muddy River | Agenda feature
(30) Instead of Teavana, Unwind
(31) Instead of Maruchan (what are you doing with your life?), Futo Buta Ramen House | Agenda feature
(32) Instead of 22 Days Vegan Food Delivery, Nourish CLT | Agenda feature
(33) Instead of Oscar Mayer, JJ’s Red Hots
(34) Instead of random honey from anywhere, Cloister Honey
(35) Instead of Hershey’s (gross), Charlotte Chocolate Co.
(36) … or Secret Chocolatier
Fitness & Beauty
(37) Instead of Lifetime Fitness, YMCA Charlotte
(38) Instead of OPI nail color, Pistol Polish
(39) Instead of Ulta, Woo Skincare & Cosmetics
(40) Instead of Dicks Sporting Goods, Trysports
Lifestyle
(41) Instead of Yankee Candle, Mallory’s Candles
(42) Instead of Barnes & Noble, Park Road Books | Agenda feature
(43) Instead of Threadless, Ink Floyd | Agenda feature
(44) Instead of Anthropologie, Boulevard at Southend
(45) Instead of Jared, Custom
(46) Instead of Lucky, Denim House
(47) Instead of Mattress Firm, Dilworth Mattress Factory
(48) Instead of West Elm, Charlotte Headboards
(49) Instead of PetSmart, adopt from Humane Society Charlotte
(50) Instead of Thrillist Charlotte, Axios Charlotte (wink)
What’d we miss? What’s your #CharlotteFirst? You know the drill. Hit us up on Twitter and Instagram so we can take this list to 100…
