A new campaign called Buy Local or Bye-Bye Local seeks to help North Country  businesses.

The SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and regional partners are reminding community members to shop at local, independent businesses this holiday season to
help them survive as they operate under continuing COVID restrictions.

The SBDC is partnering with business organizations across seven Counties – including Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce, Franklin County IDA/LDC, Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, The Saint Lawrence County Chamber, and the Essex County IDA in a united effort to keep small businesses afloat.

The SBDC campaign is also partnering with the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) on this effort as an extension of their #clicklocal campaign; encouraging North Country residents to consider shopping local even when they are online. “Many small business owners have added E-commerce shopping platforms to their websites making it easier than ever to buy local from the comfort and safety
of home,” said ANCA’s Business Transition Program Coordinator Danielle Delaini.

“Few sectors have escaped the effects of the lockdown. Independently owned businesses and not-forprofit organizations have been hit particularly hard. Uniting together to shop local first will help save small businesses across our North Country region and could even fuel an economic recovery,” said SUNY Canton SBDC Assistant Director Angela Smith.

The Buy Local or Bye-Bye Local campaign is timed for the upcoming holiday season and the slower winter months. The shop local educational campaign will highlight gift ideas that can be purchased locally and feature small businesses that continue to operate with significant restrictions placed on them including restaurants, salons and spas, bowling alleys, movie theaters, gyms, non-profits and breweries.

In addition to the awareness campaign, the SUNY Canton SBDC wants to remind people that it has two hotlines that local business owners can call if they have a question – Canton (315) 386-7312 and Plattsburgh (518) 324-7232.

The SUNY Canton SBDC business counselors are also available for virtual and in-person confidential sessions to help small businesses looking for advice to adapt their finances, human resources, sales, marketing, and more.

More information about the New York SBDC and how it supports existing businesses and aspiring
entrepreneurs is available online at www.nysbdc.org.

The SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Clinton Community College is part of a statewide network of business assistance centers supported by the State University of New York and the Small Business Administration. The New York State SBDC (NY SBDC) is accredited by America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC). The SBDC is charged with assisting North Country
entrepreneurs, small business, and industry through advising, training, and research. Additionally, the SBDC provides needed services to manufacturers, women, veterans, minority, and physically challenged individuals, or on businesses impacting distressed and targeted areas. Counseling services are free and confidential.

Photo of Saranac Lake by Mike Lynch/Almanack archive