The Shop Oakland Campaign is the product of a collaboration between the City of Oakland and the Oakland Merchants Leadership Forum (OMLF) to encourage people to shop in Oakland. This campaign was launched in 1993 and has evolved over the years, with new websites, new slogans, and new products, such as the Passport coupon book -- first used in 2007-2008 and planned for a second run in Spring 2009.
This year, the campaign encourages people to continue to Shop the World at Home in Oakland, and also to consciously support Oakland Grown businesses and artists -- those unique locally-owned businesses and artists that have their roots in Oakland. Shopping Oakland Grown not only helps keep the character of Oakland, but also helps strengthen our economy, and preserve our environment.
To find Oakland Grown businesses on the Shop Oakland site, you can use the Find Products Page and use the search terms to find
- Oakland-owned and
- Independent businesses
We hope that Oaklanders will join our excitement and look for Oakland's great unique shops before heading out to the malls for the holidays. We encourage everyone to spread the word to their friends. By shopping Oakland Grown, you not only find a wonderful variety products from our many diverse cultures, you also help our local economy! In Oakland, you can shop globally... and locally-owned at the same time.
The 2008 Oakland Grown campaign includes several elements, including
- Free Re-usable Oakland Grown Shopping Bags - This year, thanks to Oakand Recycles, we are able to provide 100,000 re-usable bags to merchants to give away to shopper for free - a gift to you for shopping local in Oakland. This is a significant upgrade from the paper bags we distributed in recent years. To learn more about the bags and how merchants in Oakland's business districts can sign up, check out the OMLF website.
- Comprehensive Shopping Listings on the Shop Oakland, Oakland Unwrapped, OMLF, and Oakland Events websites
- Advertisements
- East Bay Express
- Comcast TV
- Radio
- AC Transit Bus cards
- OAKBOOK
- Merchant Kick-Off Party
- Facebook Group
The Pledge
The East Bay Express is offering a chance to win $1000 in local gift certificates to readers who pledge to spend $100 at locally-owned independent businesses this holiday season!
What to do:
1) Just email "I Pledge" to elerts@eastbayexpress.com to participate! See the description on the East Bay Express website.
The Gift
We encourage Oaklanders to purchase one gift from a local business to give to a local charity this holiday season. Toys for Tots, calculators for students, you name it. Buy it at a local, independent store in Oakland and let us know about it. We'll thank you publicly on our website and announce it in emails and a press release.
What to do:
1) Email oaklandgrown@omlf.org to let us know you're participating
2)
Purchase a gift at a locally-owned Oakland (Oakland Grown) store
2) Take a picture of you with the gift and maybe the gift recipient (optional)
3) Email oaklandgrown@omlf.org with the following:
- What the gift is
- The store where you purchased it
- The recipient organization
- Your name and a photo (optional)
4) Look for your gift to be publicized!
If
you would like to get information about the campaign see new ads, and spread the word to other Oakland lovers, feel free to join our opt-in mailing list. This mailing list will include occasional emails about campaign activities, offer ways to get involved, and provide opportunities for community members to give input on the campaign. We will not give or sell your information to anyone. Make sure to choose Shop Oakland / Oakland Grown when you sign up.
See the Merchants page to find out how to get listed and get other free campaign materials.
We thank this year's cash and in-kind sponsors who make the campaign possible. See a list of the sponsors and links to their websites on the Sponsor Listing page. We are still seeking sponsors to support the campaign. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, check out the Sponsorship Benefits page on the OMLF website.
Small business and arts organizations - if your organization is interested in getting your clients listed online and joining our campaign, see the Partners page on the OMLF website.
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