About This Business

LocalShops1 Gallery & Gift Shop, established in 2008, is a champion of local makers and small businesses in the Tampa Bay, Florida region, particularly in St. Petersburg. With a strong mission to provide advocacy, support, and education to locally owned, independent businesses, LocalShops1 aims to make neighborhoods better through creative collaborations with businesses, artists, non-profits, and community groups. The organization emphasizes the importance of shopping locally, not just for the economic benefits, where 70 cents of every dollar spent stays in the community, but also for preserving the character of communities by supporting businesses that link the past to the future. LocalShops1's journey began with a simple list to help the founder's parents find local shops and restaurants, evolving into a grassroots movement supported by local businesses and community-minded shoppers. Today, LocalShops1 offers a directory for local businesses, resources for growth, and a platform for news, sales, and community engagement. Through its work, LocalShops1 celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of local businesses, from bookstores to art galleries, and from restaurants to home and garden services. By choosing to shop locally, individuals contribute to the vitality of their community, ensuring that neighborhoods remain vibrant and full of character. LocalShops1's commitment to the local community is evident in its initiatives, such as the holiday festival, Shopapalooza, and its support for local artists and businesses through various spotlights and grants. As a hub for all things local in the Tampa Bay area, LocalShops1 Gallery & Gift Shop stands as a testament to the power of community support and local ownership, inspiring a movement that values the unique contributions of each local business and the people behind them.