HAMPSHIRE COUNTY – In a holiday season during which supply chain disruptions and delivery timeline concerns are prevalent, local business advocates are encouraging shoppers to consider new and unique ways to spread holiday cheer while supporting the local economy.

Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Claudia Pazmany and Executive Director of the Chamber of Greater Easthampton Moe Belliveau spoke with Reminder Publishing about some new and different gift-giving options as well as programs through which their organizations and others have supported local merchants.

“Shopping local, as you, know, for every dollar that is spent, 68 cents stay here in your local economy,” Belliveau said. “But you also get a taste of your community’s particular character and flavor – those eclectic sort of items that say, ‘We are Easthampton’ without specifically having Easthampton written on them. That’s a huge part of shop local. You don’t get that in big box stores.”

Pazmany agreed, saying, “We have such diverse business owners from all backgrounds and ethnicities. There’s just so much to offer here and it’s such a beautiful thing.”

Both Easthampton and Amherst’s commercial areas have experienced growth this year, in spite of the pandemic, providing new options to local shoppers. Easthampton Mayor LaChapelle recently noted the creation of new women-owned businesses and the expansion of others on Cottage Street. Among the new additions are Breathing Space Yoga, Olivia Pearl Interiors, Tsvga Parfvms and The Flying Squirrel – a “sister store” to Sonnet & Sparrow.

In Amherst, Pazmany she pointed to the Mill District General Store in North Amherst and the neighboring Hannah’s Local Art Gallery, adding the Mill District is a “hot spot” that also features Provisions and other thriving businesses.

“We have a lot of new retail in downtown, which is really exciting. Things are really filling up and there is some exciting news ahead,” she added. On Main Street, one can find something for the romantic side of the holidays with Art of Intimates offering clothing, lingerie, fragrances and candles and Amethyst jewelry and crystal store next door. Down the road, she noted, is Clay’s, a women’s clothing boutique. “And then when you’re done shopping, or even in between, you can grab a cookie at Insomnia Cookies or Black Sheep,” she laughed.

Pazmany also pointed out a new home store, Mary Moore Design on Pleasant Street, calling it “a perfect gift-giving stop.”

While supply delays have impacted businesses large and small, local vendors’ ability to be creative and pivot has set them apart and has also opened the door for truly unique products, Bellveau noted.

“I think it’s a frustration for everyone, but from what I’ve seen, folks are finding solutions to that problem and are pretty well-stocked. The beautiful thing, too, is because we have such an eclectic, unique flavor, merchants aren’t necessarily as directed by that. They’re more willing and excited by the unusual and unique,” she said.

Belliveau suggested local printing businesses as an industry one might not normally think of around the holidays.

“There’s an interesting option of services like local printing – like if you wanted to get a special piece of apparel that you could have branded or embroidered in a personal way. There’s also gift certificates for those sorts of places for people who operate businesses,” she suggested.

Supporting local automotive shops was another way to go, she added. “Oil changes and things like that are something that everyone needs.”

Gift certificates and gift cards remain popular gifts, both noted – not only to local restaurants. Pazmany suggested admission to Amherst Cinema, for example. “I think it’s such a perfect gift. If you were to look at their offerings, they are getting incredible titles. They are absolutely a reason to come downtown Amherst. Of course, you could just come for the popcorn alone – I could eat it for lunch.”

Pazmany also pitched the gift of family fun days, like a trip to the Hampshire Mall in Hadley for Cheesy Street Grill or Arizona Pizza followed by fun time at PinZ Entertainment or Interskate 91.

Both also pointed to local farms as veritable cornucopias for gift-giving. “The farms are not to be discounted because they have a lot of stuff for the home, gifts, maple sugar stuff, maybe candles, maybe donuts,” Pazmany said.

As an example, Belliveau suggested Sage Meadow Farms and its wide variety of goat’s milk products. She added the local butcher shop could be the perfect place to pick up a small hostess gift.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Pazmany acknowledged that not everyone has the ability or the desire to go shopping in person, which would normally drive them to national retailers. However, she noted that many local businesses have adapted to include online options.

“I think that’s the big twist this year – we used to tell people to stop all that online shopping, but now, instead, we’re encouraging people that if they’re going to go online to keep it hyper-local. So many of our businesses are online,” she said. “There’s no excuse. Our local businesses have adapted and given us no excuse not the support them.”

Support from the chambers and the communities has been offered in a few different forms.

Instead of its usual Pack the Sack promotion, this year, the Amherst Business Improvement District (Amherst BID) hosted “Merry Days” during which businesses offered 20 percent discounts on Dec. 3 and 4. The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce followed that up with its holiday gift card match through which people spending at least $26 can receive a $50 gift card, made possible by Curry Keegan Financial Guidance and Planning and BankESB. Pazmany theorized that program would be so popular the matching gift cards would be gone by press time.

However, Red Ticket Month, sponsored by the Amherst BID with support from BankESB, is continuing through Dec. 18. For every $20 spent at participating stores, patrons will receive one red ticket with four chances to win $150 and a chance to win $1,000. The winner will be drawn on Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. at Kendrick Park and you must be in attendance to win.

The town of Amherst also announced free Saturday parking downtown through Dec. 25.

The Chamber of Greater Easthampton partnered with Easthampton City Arts to develop a holiday gift guide. “It not only includes chamber members but the broader community. It’s a really nice, comprehensive list. It also has the added value of each business and artist that is listed has a direct link so you can learn more about their hours and what they’re offering,” Belliveau explained.

Both chambers also offer gift cards that can be used at participating businesses.

Of course, one of the biggest supports for local businesses, Belliveau noted, was each other.

“Our local merchants and services and the business community in general are very supportive of each other and really understand when everyone succeeds, the community succeeds. I find that really refreshing. They all care deeply about each other,” she said.

For more information on the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, visit www.amherstarea.com or www.facebook.com/AmherstAreaCC. To learn more about the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or www.facebook.com/Greater.Easthampton.Chamber.of.Commerce.

Reminder Publishing reached out to the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce but did not receive a response as of press time. For information on their initiatives, visit www.northamptonchamber.com or www.facebook.com/GreaterNorthamptonChamberofCommerce/.