How often do you shop at or visit locally owned businesses in your community or neighborhood? If you are like a growing number of Americans Nationwide, you are spending more time (and money!) at locally owned businesses recently. Why is that?
As we become more health-conscious and focused on knowing where our food and its various ingredients come from, we look to locally owned bars and restaurants to provide a delicious meal and being open and transparent about its components.
When shopping from a local pet store, we feel reassured that the owner has already done the difficult work in sourcing products that offer a healthy and nutritious option for our pets. When we shop locally, something is reassuring about knowing the business owners live and have a vested stake in the area where their business is; and where we live and raise our kids.
PIVOT Work Spaces offers discounts to local shops & restaurants, including Manor Hill Tavern, featuring a host of great items that use fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
All these various aspects of shopping locally satisfy our need as humans of wanting to help each other, to create a sustainable community, and to do what’s best economically and health-wise for our family. Shopping local isn’t just better for the environment and the local community; it’s also better for YOU!
When we are fulfilling this innate drive to foster and grow our surroundings & community, it is possible to see your mood improve, conversations & connections with others become more meaningful and so much more!
When we participate in these things that fulfill our very basic human desires, it can affect us on a subconscious level and create change at the root of our behaviors. Let me give you an example:
Humans thrive off a need to feel a part of something’ bigger than themselves’. Various research has proven people in the military, Fortune 500 Companies, Fire Department, or other large organizations genuinely appreciate being a part of something’ bigger than themselves. Similarly, when shopping locally, we often fulfill that need to feel a part of something’ more significant than ourselves,’ knowing that we are doing our part in what is a larger community effort to support local businesses, communities, and families. When you can connect with other people over this shared feeling or passion; this is when the deeper & more meaningful relationships and conversations form and thrive!
Anyway, enough of the psychoanalytic stuff,
Today I wanted to highlight the two amazing towns that are home to PIVOT WorkSpaces, Historic Ellicott City & Catonsville! For those who aren’t familiar with PIVOT and who we are, he is a summary:
PIVOT offers flexible shared office space (co-working space) in the Ellicott City, Catonsville & Clarksville areas of Howard County & Baltimore County. With all the amenities and productivity tools, you need to succeed and be productive all at one low price and with no leases or contracts. PIVOT is excellent for freelancers, business professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators, those who work from home. And anyone else who needs modern, flexible office space without the long-term commitment or steep prices of typical office buildings or the hassle of a membership to a downtown co-working space.
We strategically chose these locations for our co-working space, Catonsville & Ellicott City, to their ‘small town’ traits, characteristics & vibes! We wanted everyone who works at our co-working spaces to have plenty of available options to enjoy themselves, whether on a break or after work! Whether that be grabbing a bite to eat, getting your phone checked out at the local repair shop, hitting one of the local sports shots for a new golf club, or just checking out one of the super unique clothing stores so you can make a wish list for when you get that next raise or promotion!
PIVOT Work Spaces Catonsville located at the corner of Frederick Road & Ingelside Ave
Ellicott City, with its variety of stores, shops, and services available, offers a real, old-time ‘shop local experience.’ Its historic design & construction, which have been carefully preserved all throughout the town over time, provide an eerily similar feel of how local shoppers would have felt while perusing the town’s various shops and markets over 100 years ago! ‘Main Street’ as most locals refer to it, in Historic Ellicott City, is home to the famous ‘Taylors Department Store.’ Since it was closed in 1915, it has been meticulously maintained over the years and now houses a three-story art gallery featuring artists from all over the region. Another one of the town’s coolest buildings houses Unusual Company, a unique art & gelato shop featuring a truly Unusual Experience for kids and adults alike. Historic Ellicott City is home to a variety of 5 Star restaurants offering cuisine from all over the world; and Cafes/Bakeries like Little Market Café & Old Mill Café offer that perfect place to grab an afternoon coffee, and with free Wi-Fi, the opportunity to get some work done on your computer. Main Street in Ellicott City is also the home to our PIVOT Ellicott City Location. Located at the very top of Main Street, PIVOT sits on the second story of what was once one of the town’s Fire Houses, before being decommissioned in 1997 and converted to commercial use. With a mix of super unique stores and shops that you indeed won’t find anywhere else, Historic Ellicott City is a place the whole family will enjoy exploring, shopping, and learning more about!
Nighttime on ‘Main Street’ in Historic Ellicott City, 2019
Catonsville, known as ‘Music City Maryland,’ holds to its name, hosting a variety of music-related stores, drawing musicians from all over Maryland. What Catonsville may lack in charm that Ellicott City has, it makes up for with its massive variety of stores and its warm, family atmosphere. For music lovers, there is Appalachian BlueGrass, which is home to a wide range of guitars, fiddles, and other stringed instruments. At the same time, the famous Bill’s Music House houses over 4,000s of almost every musical instrument that any visitor can try out for themselves! Many times I have walked in Bills to hear young kids creating gorgeous riffs out of the ‘for sale’ pianos and drummers creating captivating beats on the ‘demo’ drum sets; Bills is more than just a music store, it’s an experience!
Catonsville is also home to a wide variety of specialty shops and lifestyle services, such as dentists, lawyers, oil change shops, karate studios & more. Step into any restaurants or bars on Frederick Road, and you are almost guaranteed to leave with a new friend! Catonsville’s dozens of restaurants feature the cuisine of nearly every type and are almost all rated five stars on Yelp!
Nighttime on Frederick Road in Catonsville, 2019
So, what do you think about adding a little more small town, local shopping into your routine? What would that look like or entail? What is a product or service you are currently buying from a large corporation or big box store that can be purchased or supplied by a small business? If you already do a lot of little business shopping, You Rock! Why not try bringing a friend along next time as well so everyone can experience the satisfaction and benefits of shopping locally!?
Remember, there are so many winners when you shop local, your community, your neighbors, and yourself!
About PIVOT:
Are you a freelancer coworking or working from home?
PIVOT offers flexible shared office space (co-working space) in the Ellicott City, Catonsville & Clarksville areas of Howard & Baltimore County; with all the amenities & productivity tools you need to succeed and be productive; All at one low price & with no leases or contracts. PIVOT is great for freelancers, business professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators, those who work from home and anyone else who needs modern, flexible office space without the long-term commitment or steep prices of typical office buildings or the hassle of a membership to a downtown co working space
Interested in trying out PIVOT?
Grab a free day pass here
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