Local Company Helps You Save Dollars And Give Back
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Spring is almost here! And for many, spring break is even closer.
So as you prepare for warmer weather, what trends are you seeing in your wardrobe?
Based on trends coming out of Fashion Week, the lace look is in and so is the bohemian look.
Patterns, specifically floral, are big, and khaki is also making a comeback.
Jill Hafstad, who buys for Goodthings in White Bear Lake, spoke with WCCO's Ali Lucia about spring trends and how to wear them.
"We paired [khaki] with the animal prints which are still in and then we added a pop of color, shades of yellows are big this spring," Hafstad said.
But while you're stocking up on spring items, one company is encouraging you to give back while shopping.
Many people know what Small Business Saturday is; well this business is sort of an extension of that.
When looking for deals, there are many companies you can turn to, Groupon, Living Social, Gilt and Restaurant.com to name a few. And when looking to give back there are options like General Mills' "Box Tops for Education."
GoBuyLocal, a company that has been catching the attention of Twin Cities residents in the recent months, combines the coupons and charity of these businesses in one click.
"My mom started it 42 years ago," Goodthings owner, Tyler Conrad, said.
Conrad always had dreams of owning his own company. On his first venture as an entrepreneur, he tried his hand at a manufacturing company, but 15 years ago he returned to his roots.
"I remember as a kid running around and hiding inside the clothes stands at my mom's store," Conrad said.
With the help of Conrad, Goodthings has now grown into three different business entities in downtown White Bear Lake.
"So downtown White Bear Lake we have a gift store, clothing store. And now the new clothing store has active wear, shoe and yoga studio downstairs as well," Conrad said.
Conrad has always made giving back to his hometown a priority.
"That's why we started several stores in White Bear, because we wanted to grow our town," Conrad said.
And also why he teamed up with Go Buy Local three years ago.
"We want to encourage the community to support local businesses and at the same time have the customer donate to a school or cuase of their choice," Monica Nadal
The concept is simple. When you shop for a local deal a small portion of your spending goes to a charity of your choice.
"When we can partner with local businesses and help them out by streaming traffic to them, to visit their stores, or buy their products or go out for dinner and then they can choose to give a portion of the proceeds back to United Way of Hastings, it's really a win-win for the nonprofit and for the local business," Mari Mellick, of United Way of Hastings, said.
"It's putting the decision in our customer's hands. They are the ones who decided where we donate to," Conrad said.
Since collaborating with Go Buy Local, Conrad has seen a number of White Bear Lake schools benefit from customers shopping in his store.
The concept is now in 25 communities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. There are hundreds of nonprofits to choose from. Nonprofits that Go Buy Local Recently added include East Side Neighborhood Services, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Hudson Hospital Foundation, St. Patrick's Parish and Wayzata Central Middle School.
You can find 81 deals in Minneapolis, Woodbury and 33 in Minnetonka.
To see how many deals are you in your community, visit Go Buy Local online.
