Hi, and welcome to ChiLocal, a local Chicago shopping platform!
We are a small team of marketers from Chicago, passionate about supporting small and local retail businesses and makers.
Why? Because that’s what we believe in.
The more we shop locally, the more we value the quality, uniqueness, and beauty of the products we that we buy. When we buy food at a local grocer or a farmers market, we can tell the difference in quality. When we get cookies from a local bakery, we can taste the love. When we buy a souvenir or art at a local gallery and send it to our family out of state, we know that they will never find anything like it outside of Chicago.
And the more we shop locally, the more we see how inconvenient it can be.
You really have to go out of your way to find items from a local retailer. Sure, some dedicated shoppers may spend hours going through Google maps to find handmade local goods, but most people choose convenience.
So how can we make shopping locally more convenient?
That’s why we are creating a website that helps you search only local and small Chicago businesses. You can start by typing in something like “books,” “earrings,” or “pillows.” Whatever you’re searching for, we are building a database to help you find it. Right here in Chicago.
There are many reasons why shopping local helps the community that you live in, but it also makes our lives richer.
So what can you do to support our mission? Follow us on social and tell your friends! Invite your local retailers join us so that more people can discover local Chicago gems on ChiLocal.
And if you have any questions or ideas, just drop us a line below, we’d love to hear from you!