Small Business Saturday: How Our Team Shops Local (and How You Can, Too)

Small Business Saturday is more than just a day on the calendar; it’s a reminder of how much local businesses shape our communities. From the neighborhood coffee shop that knows your order to the family-owned restaurant sourcing ingredients from just down the road, small businesses bring personality, creativity, and heart to the places we call home.

This year, Odd Dog is celebrating Small Business Saturday by highlighting the impact of shopping local and sharing some of our team’s favorite small businesses across Seattle, Portland, and Salt Lake City.

What Is Small Business Saturday? 

Small Business Saturday began in 2010 as a way to support small, independent businesses during the busy holiday shopping season. Celebrated on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it encourages people to shift their spending closer to home.

Behind every small business is a story, a family, or a dream, and even a single purchase can make a meaningful difference.

Discover Your Local Impact 

Want to know how your choices influence your local community?

Our Small Business Impact Calculator helps you understand exactly that. This quick, interactive quiz demonstrates how small shifts in your everyday habits have a ripple effect throughout the community, positively impacting your favorite shops, restaurants, and makers.

Our Team’s Favorite Small Businesses 

With our team scattered across Seattle, Portland, and Salt Lake City, we shared some of our go-to local spots from bakeries and bookstores to gyms, cafes, and outdoor gear shops in those three cities. These are the places we visit often, recommend to friends, and love supporting all year long.

Seattle Favorites

Restaurants & Cafes

1. Made in House — Julie’s Pick
   A family-owned, employee-run restaurant using fresh ingredients sourced from the owner’s organic farm. Their food is unmatched, and being their neighbor, our team has happily tried just about everything on the menu. They also offer a variety of beautiful produce and pantry items at their market and local farmers’ markets.
2. Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry — Isabelle’s Pick
   Famous for their egg sandwiches and creative, seasonal toasts and salads. Perfect spot to grab lunch and stroll through Volunteer Park.
3. Deru Market (Kirkland) — Charlee’s Pick
   Locally owned, family-run, and known for made-from-scratch dishes using local ingredients. Cozy, delicious, and famous for their must-try cakes.
4. Baskette — Kyle’s Pick
   A locally owned Fremont spot serving incredible baked goods, sandwiches, and pastries. Known for their “influencer-famous” breakfast sandwich and genuinely kind owners.
5. Frelard Tamales — Bridget’s Pick
   Neighbor to the Odd Dog office and a team-loved lunch spot. LGBTQ+ and family-owned, serving incredible tamales at great prices.
6. Donna’s — Bryce’s Pick
   Fun Capitol Hill bar with fantastic cocktails, a great happy hour, and can’t-miss pasta dishes.

Coffee & Tea Shops

1. Matcha Magic — Charlee’s Pick
   Top-tier matcha, fun seasonal drinks, and consistently kind, thoughtful service. Every visit feels special.
2. Milstead & Co. — Danielle’s Pick
   One of Seattle’s top coffee shops and a must-visit whenever she’s in town.
3. Sip and Ship — Bridget’s Pick
   Family-owned, offering shipping services (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL), a charming coffee bar, and a curated gift boutique — all in one stop. The Ballard location closes at the end of the year, so be sure to visit this iconic spot over the holidays (or check out their other location in Greenwood)!

Bakeries & Sweet Treats

1. Moonrise Bakery — Alyssa’s Pick
   Amazing pastries, seasonal drinks, and an iconic apple cider Danish.
2. Dough Joy (West Seattle) — Bart’s Pick
   Fantastic vegan donuts and some of the best coffee in West Seattle.

Bars & Nightlife 

1. Kelnero (Edmonds) — Keegan’s Pick
   Incredible cocktails, welcoming vibes, and an owner who will even make off-menu drinks if you ask nicely.
2. Churchkey Pub (Edmonds) — Keegan’s Pick
   Classic Irish pub food, a great beer list, and a comfy local feel.
3. El Corazon — Keegan’s Pick
   A legendary locally owned music venue and the location of Pearl Jam’s first show.

Retail & Local Shops

1. Wonderland Gear Exchange — Isabelle’s Pick
   An excellent place for finding high-quality used outdoor gear or consigning your own. A favorite Fremont neighbor, and they’re opening a Salt Lake City location soon!
2. Royal Records — Talia’s Pick
   Opened in 2021 with a curated music selection and local artwork displayed on the walls.
3. Paper Boat Booksellers (West Seattle) — Bart’s Pick
   A cozy shop with thoughtful staff recommendations and a true community feel.
4. Stuhlbergs — Alyssa’s Pick
   The perfect place for thoughtful gifts from Jellycats to craft kits. Easy to lose an hour exploring the shelves.
5. Jive Time Records — Talia’s Pick
   Just steps from the Odd Dog office. Budget bins, great finds, and super-friendly staff.
6. Portage Bay Goods — Danielle’s Pick
   A Fremont favorite stocking thoughtful gifts, cards, and art from local creators.
7. Blue Highway Games — Alyssa’s Pick
   A board game store with shelves full of games you can test out for free. Cozy, community-oriented, and fun on rainy days.
8. Two Big Blondes Consignment — Danielle’s Pick
   Seattle’s best plus-size consignment store with excellent service and a constantly rotating selection.
9. Pegasus Book Exchange (West Seattle) — Bart’s Pick
   A beloved neighborhood bookstore where you can trade old books for new reads—sustainable and community-driven.
10. Sip and Ship — Bridget’s Pick
    Family-owned, offering shipping services (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL), a charming coffee bar, and a curated gift boutique — all in one stop. The Ballard location closes at the end of the year, so be sure to visit this iconic spot over the holidays (or check out their other location in Greenwood)!

Health & Wellness 

1. Von Sauna — Isabelle’s Pick
   The PNW’s original floating sauna on Lake Washington. Cozy, unique, and perfect for winter.
2. Cummins Chiropractic — Julie’s Pick
   A family-owned Bellevue practice run by Anna and Dr. Bob, both Olympic gold medalists who stayed local to serve their community. They treat every patient like family and are incredible partners.
3. Embody Fitness (formerly Aspire Athletics) — Keegan’s Pick
   A woman-owned powerlifting and Olympic lifting gym with a tight-knit community atmosphere.

Services

1. Treehouse Salon — Bryce’s Pick
   A welcoming Capitol Hill salon where independent stylists shine. Bryce’s stylist, Michelle, is a true curl specialist.
2. Stairs Tattoo (West Seattle) — Bart’s Pick
   A small, artist-owned tattoo studio known for incredible work and an inviting environment.
3. Union Tattoo (Ellensburg) — Keegan’s Pick
   Artist-owned American traditional and neo-traditional tattoo shop with an authentic creative environment.

Portland Favorites

Food

1. Doe Donuts — Ryota’s Pick
   According to Ryota, the best donuts in the world. A woman-owned vegan donut and ice cream shop using local, organic, fair-trade ingredients. Try the Portland Fog!
2. Montelupo Italian Market — Lily’s Pick
   A market and restaurant serving incredible homemade pasta, focaccia, and local goods. You can even buy their pasta to take home.
3. Portland Bottle Shop — Lily’s Pick
   A cozy bottle shop offering an expansive wine selection, local beverages, great food, and standout buffalo cauliflower.

Salt Lake City Favorites

Retail & Local Shops

1. The Stockist — Jenna’s Pick
   A beautifully curated shop full of high-quality clothing, home goods, and jewelry — impossible to leave empty-handed.
2. City of Industry — Jenna’s Pick
   Women-owned, queer-owned shop known for fun gifts, refillable pantry and home goods, and an incredibly kind owner.
3. Brand+Aid — Jenna’s Pick
   A creative merchandise agency and a cool local business (with fun Odd Dog connections!).
4. Pet Spawt — Madison’s Pick
   A beloved local pet store for food, supplies, treats, and gifts for your furry friends.

Food & Markets

1. Chubby Baker — Jenna’s Pick
   Women- and Asian American-owned bakery creating some of the most inventive desserts — from ube cream to Ferrero Rocher donuts.
2. Central 9th Market — Madison’s Pick
   A neighborhood market known for incredible breakfast sandwiches on homemade focaccia and a curated selection of local goods.
3. Caputo’s Market & Deli — Madison’s Pick
   An Italian market with sandwiches, meats, cheeses, specialty items, and events like wine or chocolate tastings.

Coffee & Cafes

1. The Honeysuckle Coffee Co. — Madison’s Pick
   A local coffee shop with rotating roasters, curated beverages, and standout items like their blueberry sourdough bagel.

Why Supporting Small Businesses is Important 

Supporting small businesses isn’t just about making purchases; it’s about strengthening local communities. Every dollar spent at a small business creates a ripple effect: more local jobs, more community investment, and more resilience for the neighborhoods where we live and work. Small businesses bring character to our cities, fuel innovation, and keep money circulating where it has the biggest impact.

Whether you’re stopping by a neighborhood bakery, shopping at a local boutique, or hiring a local service provider, these everyday choices help build a thriving local economy.

Ways to Support Small Businesses Year-Round

Big or small, every action helps. Here are simple ways to make an impact all year long:

• Follow local businesses on social media. 
• Check out independent coffee shops.
• Volunteer with a local non-profit or community event. 
• Share a local small business’s event or promotion online. 
• Pay cash/Venmo at a small business to avoid CC fees. 
• Shop at your local farmers’ market. 
• Support women-owned businesses. 
• Write positive reviews for local businesses. 
• When possible, swap your Amazon order for a local purchase. 
• Visit local bookstores. 
• Donate to a local mutual aid or holiday drive. 
• Post a picture at a local business and tag them. 
• Take a local class: art, cooking, fitness, etc. 
• See a concert, performance, or comedy show at a local venue. 
• Order takeout directly from a local restaurant. 
• Treat yourself or a friend to a local service (e.g., spa day). 
• Sign up for a small business’s newsletter. 
• Buy pet food or treats from a local shop. 

Supporting small businesses doesn’t require big spending. Just small, intentional choices.

Let’s Keep the Momentum Going

Whether you’re trying a new neighborhood spot or revisiting an old favorite, your support helps local businesses thrive long after the holiday rush.

Want to see the impact of your choices? Take the Small Business Impact Calculator to find out.

And, from all of us at Odd Dog — thank you for shopping small, supporting local, and helping keep our communities strong on Small Business Saturday, and year-round.