American Express Canada

This past weekend, my family and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at the neighbourhood pizza parlour, bought some delectable treats from the bakery down the street and rented movies from the guy who has owned his shop for 11 years.

The American Express Canada Shop Small program celebrates the role of small businesses in our communities.. Small businesses drive innovation, productivity, job creation and economic growth. They are vital to the livelihood and diversity of our neighbourhoods.

Don’t just take my word for it – 95% of Canadians agree that small businesses are important to Canadian neighbourhoods and 92% of respondents agree that small businesses contribute to their neighborhood’s culture… those are huge numbers!

I visited some fabulous small businesses in Toronto during my pledge to #ShopSmall and am happy to share them with you!

Snug as a Bug

3022 Dundas St. West, Toronto
(416) 534-6881
@Snug_As_A_Bug
http://snugasabug.com

Snug as a Bug has been around for over 20 years! The shop designs and sells their own unique brand of pajamas for kids and adults. What I love is that all of their products are made in Canada. Of course my eldest son who is a huge hockey fan, would absolutely LOVE these hockey onesies!

The Cheese Emporium

1788 Avenue Road, Toronto
416-789-3300
http://cheeseemporium.ca

Mmmm cheese! The Cheese Emporium sells cheeses from all over the world… Switzerland, Greece, Italy, France and even Australia. There’s a whole lotta happiness for your taste buds in this shop! There are two locations in Toronto for convenience – one on Avenue Road and the other on Mount Pleasant.

Oink Oink

352 Eglinton Avenue West
(416) 322-8255
http://oinkoink.ca

Oink Oink is an adorable, whimsical store from which you’ll have a difficult time tearing your children away. The first thing you notice in the store are the adorable piggies hang from the ceiling, clothing and toys and games in one amazing location from babies to school aged. Great gift ideas too.

Cobs Bread

1539 Bayview Avenue
(416) 416-0521
@CobsBread
http://cobsbread.com

When you walk into Cobs on Bayview, the smell of freshly baked goods will make your mouth instantly water. Their French baguettes are crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. I tried their carrot cake scone with cream cheese frosting – delicious!

Little Peeps

768 Queen Street East
416-406-5437 (KIDS)
http://www.littlepeeps.ca/

This children’s boutique in Toronto’s Riverside carries so many amazing brands like appaman and morgan & milo, green toys, boon, egg by Susan Lazar, Babylicious and more. From baby to school aged, you’ll find stylish clothing, accessories and toys for your kids.

Join me in shopping small too! By pledging to #ShopSmall, you are supporting small businesses that stimulate our entrepreneurial spirit and keep communities thriving.

Don’t forget to visit the American Express Canada Facebook page and vote for your favourite Shop Small business in Toronto in the Neighbourhood Gems contest by April 21 and check back on April 29 to see if your favourite Shop Small business was voted to the final five. Remember, each vote also earns you one entry into a daily draw to win a $50 Amex Gift Card.

For more information on how Canadians feel about the importance of shopping small, check out this infographic!

This post was sponsored by Amex Bank of Canada. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.

I love shopping at local shops, bakeries, cafés and restaurants; there is something to be said about that individual, personal touch that comes along with shopping small business. Knowing that you’re supporting the local economy and more than likely supporting a family-run business feels really good.

Local, independent shops add flavor and culture to our communities, reflecting the vibrancy and diversity of our cities. What would your day-to-day be like without Frank the butcher or the little ice cream parlour down the street? Small businesses make up 98 per cent of businesses in Canada!

This is why I think what American Express Canada is doing with their brand new program called Shop Small is fabulous. The Shop Small program supports entrepreneurial spirit and celebrates the role of small business in our communities which plays a huge role in driving our economy.

I’m happy to be working with American Express Canada in highlighting some of the participating merchants in Toronto and by pledging to #ShopSmall at small businesses in our neighbourhoods. I’ll be sharing my experience on my social media channels including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and hope you will join me by shopping small and spreading the word!

American Express is also launching an exciting Toronto’s Neighbourhood Gems contest in support of the program! Visit the American Express Canada Facebook page and search for your favourite Shop Small business in Toronto on a map. Then vote for your favourite small business once per day from April 1 – 21; each vote also earns you one entry into a daily draw to win a $50 Amex Gift Card.

The top five businesses with the most votes by April 21 will participate in a final round of voting; you can vote from the top from April 29 to May 5. The small business who wins the contest and is crowned Toronto’s Neighbourhood Gem will win a one-on-one social marketing consultation with Facebook Canada, an American Express Toronto Life Advertorial on their business in Toronto Life magazine and a celebratory event to honour the winning small business! The other top four businesses will win a social marketing roundtable with Facebook Canada and a mention of their business in Toronto Life magazine.

Word of mouth is the #1 way Canadians find or learn about small businesses in their neighbourhood. Follow me and the conversation using #ShopSmall starting April 2 and participate by shopping small and supporting local businesses. Also don’t forget to vote for your favourite Shop Small business in the Neighbourhood Gems contest.

Off I go to my local bakery to get a latte!

This post was sponsored by Amex Bank of Canada. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.