Early Bird, an independent card shop and publisher in Stoke Newington, is taking part in “an indie alternative to Black Friday”, to encourage people to challenge the fast shopping culture of Black Friday.
The Just a Card campaign was inspired by the idea that buying “just one card” can make a big difference to small businesses, especially during Black Friday. “When you spend your money with us, it stays within the local economy…[as] we employ local people, we support local charities”, said Heidi Early, co-owner of Early Bird.
Chain stores offer discounts on Black Friday, a day of sales which begins after the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving, something that small businesses “can’t afford to do”.
Black Friday is “really depressing” for small shops, said Sarah Hamilton, the artist and designer who started the Just a Card campaign six years ago.
The campaign, she argued, carries a “powerful message” because it shows customers that every purchase is “so valued”. It encourages people to “shop small” by buying locally, according to Early. “It’s not what we’re about…we care,” said Early, “We want people to stop and think about where they spend their money”.
Early said she hopes the campaign, which runs between 22 November-26 November, will emphasise how much local support “really matters” to businesses in Stoke Newington.
