I feel for Perth’s small businesses, creatives, sole traders, and freelancers right now.
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way we do business, encouraging us to put measures in place that keep our communities safe from afar while ensuring we can still pay our bills and feed our bellies.
I work with small businesses all over Australia and internationally in several ways, so I’m seeing how this pandemic is affecting many people:
- Through this blog, I often partner with businesses with whom I share my values, most centred around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Fashion Revolution movement, and the Regeneration of our earth.
- I help to run WA Ethical Collective, a small community here in Western Australia for ethical manufacturing enthusiasts, which includes some small business owners and ethical fashion brands as members.
- By trade, I’m a Digital Marketer. I run my own business, Farai Creative, so I’m certainly seeing how this is affecting my clients – particularly those who receive income from events, market stalls, or through their storefront.
I believe that now is the time to put community above
competition and help keep each other safe and supported.
If you find you need to buy anything, I urge you to support your local
community from a safe distance during this time. Hopefully, this will
also push us to continue to support local more often after the fog has cleared.
How to Support Local Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Reschedule appointments instead of cancelling
- Buy gift cards, vouchers, and tickets for the future
- Give monetary tips
- Become a Patreon or ‘buy them a coffee’
- Back their fundraisers and Kickstarter campaigns
- Attend their online classes
- Buy their online courses
- Shop on their online store
- Order takeout from your local cafes and restaurants
- Stream music online (Bandcamp is a great way to directly support artists)
- Ask how you can support them from a distance
- Like, share, and comment on social media
- Leave positive reviews on businesses’ Facebook, Google, and product pages
- Speak up for your small businesses and sign petitions like this one and also this one for sole traders and freelancers
Some Local Businesses I’ll be Helping Out
Limon Spa
5 Oxford Street, Leederville
Limon is an organic day spa and shop for beauty treatments and products that don’t come at the expense of the health of our bodies or the environment.
How I’ll be supporting them: Purchasing a gift voucher (or two!) for the future.
Clear Mind Studio
835 Beaufort St, Inglewood
Clear Mind is a wellness studio offering floatation therapy, infrared sauna, yoga and pilates, massage, and so much more. I’ve been on their mailing list for some time but have never made the time to go in. Now is a great opportunity to make a commitment to myself and support them at a time when they need it most. I think I’ll need a float when all of this is over, too!
How I’ll be supporting them: Purchasing a gift voucher (or a membership because you can choose the day you start!) for the future.
Pearth Organic Kitchen
106C Cambridge Street, Leederville
Quite possibly my favourite café in Perth, Pearth is now offering delivery! They offer options for all food preferences, sourced locally and organically, without processed products or refined sugars.
How I’ll be supporting them: Getting sneaky home-delivered takeaway every now and then.
Nowhereman Brewing Co.
25 Harrogate Street, West Leederville
This is my local pub and brewery, which also shares the local ethos, and which I’d love to see survive the coming months.
How I’ll be supporting them: From the way things are looking, chances are all ‘non-essential’ businesses, including pubs, will probably have been told to close by the time you read this. So, I’ll be buying Nowhereman’s takeaway drink options from my local bottle shop (that should be staying open) at Besk. Their cans come in a cardboard holder!
La Vida Vegan
60 Coghlan Road, Subiaco
This is my local vegan grocery store – in fact, I believe they’re Perth’s only!
How I’ll be supporting them: Making an online purchase or two. They have free delivery for orders over $80 until the end of March.
My Humble Earth
Online, Perth-based
Based in Perth, My Humble Earth sells zero-waste reusables and eco-friendly alternatives.
How I’ll be supporting them: I’m actually an ambassador for this brand, which means I already own most of their products. So, I’ll be continuing my support them online and help get the message out there. In situations like going into self-isolation or quarantine, having all the reusables you need comes in very handy. My Humble Earth is offering free shipping on orders over $20. Use ‘MOLLY’ at checkout for 15% off.
Urban Revolution
284 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park
This local shop has a great selection of earth-friendly home and gardening products.
How I’ll be supporting them: Like many of us, I’m going to be spending some time over the coming months to expand my small veggie garden and become a bit more self-sufficient. I’ll be purchasing my seeds from Urban Revolution’s online store, as well as any other household items that I may need.
Open Hands Creative
Workshops held at different locations in Perth
Open Hands are an eco-friendly community inspiring more creativity in Perth. I’ve been meaning to attend one of their workshops for months but have always had clashing commitments!
How I’ll be supporting them: I’ll be buying a gift card for a future workshop.
Southern River Band
From Thornlie, Western Australia
Musicians and performers have been really affected recently by event cancellations. Check out this video and let Cal sum up the current Australian music industry for you.
How I’ll be supporting them: Cal says, “Go to their website, go to their Bandcamps, and f*ck’n buy their sh*t.” So, that.
Perth Brands + Labels
Some of my favourite local labels and stores (ranging from Margaret River all the way up to Broome) include _BAIS, Brooke Da Cruz, Cecile Swim, Cura Swim, ILKA Family Store, Kristin Magrit, Love Linen Label, Margaret River Hemp Co, Melaleuca Rise by Jane Ziemons, Ngali, Ocean Remedy, Oli, RŪPAHAUS, The ANJELMS Project, and Three Bears Clothing Co.
While I’m currently on a 1-year clothing ‘no spend’ to reconnect with the pieces I already own, when I finish this on the 26th of April, these are the people I will head to first. These conscious brands all have online stores, which is great news in case we’re still recommended to keep a safe distance in one month’s time.
More Local Businesses Need Your Support
For more Perth-based businesses that raised their hand in need of community support, have a look through the comments on this Instagram post of mine.
Some local directories and resources to help you on your way:
Don’t forget, if you can’t support your local businesses in-person and safely, support them on social media! Liking, commenting, sharing, and saving doesn’t cost a cent and makes an enormous difference. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Take care. Wash your hands. Scrub your toes. Shop sustainably.
P.S. If you’re a Perth small business, creative, sole trader or freelancer that needs a little extra help right now, leave a comment below + let the community know how they can support you during this time.
♡ Molly
Hi there, love what you are doing with this blog to help support local businesses in Perth. You have linked out to quite a few businesses and I’m sure they would appreciate the exposure. I read the above info about reaching out to you and the community so here I am.
My name is Kyle, myself and my business parter own a car detailing business, Mr Sheen Premier Detailing. We were on the verge of expanding into a new workshop when covid lockdowns hit. We did suffer terribly but we are slowly gaining ground again. We finally got into our new premise and starting to gain business again. What we are suffering with the most is actually finding people are are willing to work in the industry. We have enough work coming our way now to offer a few jobs but struggling to find people to fill the positions. Any advice would be amazing.
Hi Kyle, thanks for leaving a comment and I’m sorry I didn’t get around to approving it sooner! Hope some Perth folks will come across it and might be able to suggest the job opportunity to someone they know. Hope your start to 2022 is going well and that you can fill those positions soon. – Molly