Local boutiques compete with large corporations in times of online shopping

PHOTO: Bohème, in downtown Davis, offers gently used clothing at an affordable price to shoppers.

By Declan Fee,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

As the dangers and instability of fast fashion have become more apparent – mainly its detrimental effects on the environment – many people are choosing to take their business elsewhere, to locally sourced boutiques or second-hand establishments. COVID-19 offered a unique struggle to these smaller businesses, but many were able to adapt and thrive due to the loyalty of local shoppers.

In the start of the pandemic, online retail sales saw a 39% increase. People stopped buying locally, and small businesses struggled. Many businesses in downtown Davis had to close for prolonged periods of time. 

“We did have to close for several months during the pandemic, which was pretty difficult. We still had to pay rent on the building but we didn’t have any money coming in,” said Cory McCutcheon, an employee at the local thrift store Bohème. 

Some businesses were offered new terms on their leases, giving them a bit of a cushion until they could return to full business.

 “Our landlord was gracious enough to give us rent relief, so that was really nice,” Treehouse Vintage employee Donbi Kim said.

After the initial closures, many businesses were able to bounce back fairly quickly. Dedication from local shoppers was necessary to make sure these stores stayed in business. 

Carson Coehlo is an employee at a local boutique store, Pinkadot. She praises the devotion of shoppers from Davis. “We have a lot of shoppers from Davis, and we also get people from out of town that come by pretty regularly,” Coelho said.

Some of Davis’s most devoted second-hand shoppers are teens, for whom shopping locally and sustainably has become very important. Many students have wardrobes consisting of mostly second-hand or small business clothes.

 “Almost everything in my closet is locally thrifted or second hand … It is super important to support more sustainable options when available,” Davis High junior Nola George said.

The speed, efficiency, and often lower prices of shopping from bigger online brands is apparent to small businesses, but they urge their customers to do their best to keep their business local. 

“If you take all your business and you shop on Amazon, then businesses go away. And if those businesses go away, then every town will have the same four businesses in it,” Armadillo Music manager Paul Wilbur said.