This month marks 6 years of love, Pittsburgh, and we've been fulfilling our mission to support local artists and makers from the very beginning until now. The reason why? Because Pittsburghers love supporting local! Read on to find out how shopping local is something our city rallies around.
Supporting Local in our Stores
First we're sharing some of our favorite stats about how you support local just by shopping with us!
- love, Pittsburgh carries over 120 local artists and makers in our three stores, that's over 120 ways to support our maker community.
- Since the beginning of the 2023 we've added over 100 new items to our shops, giving you a chance to find new local treasures.
- We've created more opportunities to connect you directly to our artists through our past Maker Moment events, on-going summer vendor pop-ups, and by sharing about each maker in our Maker We Love series.
Locals Value Shopping Small
Shopping small and local is more than just a trend in the burgh according to the numbers.
- A 2022 survey by the Pittsburgh Regional Development Council found that 73% of Pittsburghers say that they prioritize shopping local as an important value. This is higher than the national average of 63%.
- According to the Pittsburgh Foundation's 2021 Creative Economy Report, there are approximately 3,000 artists and maker businesses operating in the city of Pittsburgh, compared to the national average of maker businesses in other similarly sized cities is about 1,500.
Citywide Small Business Strong
The city is fertile ground for small local businesses of all kinds, thanks to the support you give them.
- In Pittsburgh, 20% of small businesses are minority-owned
- In Pittsburgh, 15% of small businesses are women-owned (including love, Pittsburgh!)
- According to a 2020 study by the U.S. Census Bureau, Pittsburgh ranks 15th in the United States for the number of small businesses per capita.
Interested in learning more about how we value local? Check out these related journal entries: