In response to the difficult times that small businesses are facing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Chula Vista is asking people to think big and shop small, launching its We built THIS campaign, which began on Small Business Saturday.
City of Chula Vista economic development specialist Miranda Evans said the We built THIS small business campaign is one of the city’s economic initiatives it has been working on during the pandemic.
“This is a social media-driven campaign that launched Small Business Saturday and we will be running it through the holiday season, promoting the importance of supporting our small businesses in Chula Vista. Once we get past the holidays, we will continue the campaign through the end of June 2021,” she said.
The campaign’s purpose is to shine a spotlight on the importance of supporting community over convenience, said Evans. She said it might be easier to shop online retailers, but it does not make a positive difference in the community.
“When you shop small at these amazing businesses we have in our city, you are supporting a neighbor, a family member or a friend,” said Evans. “You are helping them get their kids through college, putting food on their table. So many of our entrepreneurs are hard workers. Their livelihood is completely tied up in their business and every one of them have been severely impacted by COVID. We want everyone in the community to feel community pride and as cheesy as it is, we are all in this together. If we want the small businesses to come out of this, we all have to do our part.”
Evans said small businesses with 10 or fewer employees compromise 95 percent of all businesses in Chula Vista.
“They are so important,” she said. “They are really the heartbeat of our community. They add amazing diversity and richness to our community, and we have those small entrepreneurs to thank.”
Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas said the city has witnessed the passion and creativity of local businesses that had to quickly adapt during the challenges of the pandemic in a press release.
“It’s crucial for our community to embrace and support our local businesses, now more than ever before, by shopping local throughout the holiday season and beyond,” she stated.
This initiative includes a visual journey into Chula Vista businesses, which features opportunities to tune into videos, follow on social media, explore shopping districts and discover the variety of small businesses operating within the city.
For more information visit www.explorechulavista.com.
