CINCINNATI — Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows as of this past spring, more than 60% of small businesses said they were being negatively affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, as stores move into the holiday shopping season, small business owners are hoping consumers will keep them in mind.

What You Need To Know

  • On Monday, the OTR Chamber of Commerce kicked off its annual shop local campaign

  • In 2022, more than 30 small businesses opened in OTR
  • Alcove by Madtree, a farm-to-table restaurant and bar, was one of them
  • All season long, the campaign encourages people to shop locally to support the local economy

Alcove opened its second location in Over-The-Rhine in March of 2022. It's a farm-to-table restaurant that not only prides itself on customer service, but also on giving back to the community. One percent of gross sales each year go to local nonprofits.

“We want to build a sustainable, purpose-driven company that our kids will be proud of,” said Lauren Amos, MadTree Consumer Experience director. “And so this these locations are the vehicle and the products are the vehicle for us to do that, to be able to make sure that this world is better for years to come.”

She said the holiday season is one of their most profitable times of the year. 

“As everybody sort of wrapping up their end of the year stuff hospitality and MadTree and Alcove, in particular, are ramping up,” said Amos. “So as you get into November, December, this is the busiest time of year for us.”

She said supporting small businesses means the public is also supporting their neighborhoods. The National Federation of Independent Business estimates that nearly 70 cents of every dollar spent at small business remains in the community.

“Those dollars are going directly back into the neighborhoods where people work and live,” she said. “And knowing that those where where you're making that support is having a direct impact.”

Alcove is one of 36 businesses that opened in OTR in 2022. There are total of 300 small businesses in the area. This year, the OTR Chamber of Commerce has partnered with 3CDC and Downtown to create a holiday campaign to encourage people to shop local.

All season long, there are even gifts you can buy to support local businesses by using the OTR gift guide.

“This year really helps give them that boost that they need,” said Kelly Adamson, OTR Chamber of Commerce executive director. “And especially as we're still coming out of the pandemic, this is something that they really rely on this next 30 days for a good amount of income that's going to come through.”

Adamson and her team have been working hard on this campaign, and with the expansion of jobs in the area, she said she’s seen even a decrease in crime.

“I've personally seen that reduction because of the also pairing this with increased lighting, increase engagement of these sort of these small business storefronts,” she said. “The more people that are active in the neighborhood and invested in the neighborhood, then the less the less crime you will see down here.”

As they prepare for this busy holiday season, Amos said they’re looking forward to getting all the support they can get.

“We're fully staffed and we're ready to go and people are just excited to see people,” said Amos.

For more information on how you can support a small business in OTR, click here.​