7 Group Gifts That Support Small Businesses During COVID-19

As we weather the coronavirus crisis, we have the opportunity to demonstrate an important value in our purchasing decisions: supporting small businesses. As individuals practice social distancing, small operations are getting hit hard by the loss of business. Both local businesses and their employees may struggle to pay their bills as a result. That’s why we have made a list of gift ideas that can help sustain and support small businesses.

To add a bit more joy during this challenging period, consider organizing a group gift for a friend’s upcoming birthday that will also help out a local business. Presently will be covering all credit card fees for group gifts hosted on our platform from March 1 to July 15 as we hope to make it easy for friends to still ‘get together’ and do something special for upcoming birthdays.

Here are seven gift ideas on how you can support small businesses when you set up your Presently gift pool.

1. Fitness Studios Gift Ideas

Many yoga and dance studios, gyms, and other fitness studios have closed down to keep their students safe. Some are even offering free online classes to help people stay healthy and practice self-care during this challenging time. Purchasing a gift certificate or membership is one of the great gift ideas to help them survive this period without normal operations.

If your friend or loved one already has a studio or gym that they attend regularly, check the business’s website to learn about their membership and gift certificate options. If not, this is a great time to help them find one! It will give your loved one something special to look forward to once we’re able to return to our normal activities.

Use Yoga Finder’s interactive map to find yoga studios all over the United States. Yelp’s Near Me feature will help you search for gyms and training studios in your area.

2. Restaurants, Cafes, and Bakeries

Food establishments throughout the country have had to close their doors to sit-down customers. Although many remain open for take-out and delivery, these establishments and their employees are already struggling from lost business in an already challenging industry.

Help restaurants keep their doors open by setting up a group gift to your friend’s favorite local eatery or artisanal food shop. Call the restaurant or check their website to learn about their gift card options, or check out Help Main Street, Support Local, Rally for Restaurants, or Hangry Distancing. You can also ask around to see if anyone has organized something locally, such as in the Bay Area or Akron, OH. Your loved one will be overjoyed to visit their favorite establishment again after it’s able to reopen its doors.

3. Outdoor Adventure Companies

We’re all about gifting experiences because of the way they build relationships and memories. And what better experience than an outdoor adventure! With adventure options for both kids and adults, purchasing a gift certificate that your friend can use for a future adventure can help bring cash to small companies, supporting their rent and employees while they wait for business to pick back up.

Two gift ideas to check out are Yelp’s Near Me feature, to find outdoor adventure companies near you, and this list of companies we found:

• Adventure Out in the Bay Area, CA
• Glenwood Adventure Company in Glenwood Springs, CO
• Wilderness Inquiry in Minneapolis, MN

4. Bed and Breakfasts

With travel restrictions and social distancing measures preventing vacations, people working in the hospitality industry will need a boost. Bed and breakfast owners and Airbnb hosts rely on others traveling for income, and you can help them out by creating a Presently group gift for a future stay at an idyllic B&B!

One of the most helpful gift ideas for B&Bs is organizing a group gift for an Airbnb gift card that will support those hosts while giving your friend a fun trip in the future. BedandBreakfast.com lists small hotels throughout the country, too. They’re all so gorgeous that you may have trouble picking one!

5. Local Musicians Gift Ideas

Another group that could use a helping hand is local musicians. Tours and concert dates have been canceled, leaving them without money from ticket sales. But many performers are getting creative and offering concerts and festivals online.

Most of these virtual events are donation-based, so you can set up a Presently page for a “virtual concert ticket” for a friend. Your loved one can donate the gifts from their friends and family to your favorite artist when they attend an online show.

Check artists’ social media to learn if they’ll be performing online. Here are some upcoming virtual music events:

• VirtualFestival will feature virtual concerts from Nashville artists.
• Shut In & Sing will offer performances from Chely Wright, Lori McKenna, Anthony D’Amato, Jill Sobule, Kim Richey, and more.
• Co.Vid Live 2020 is putting together a roster of big musicians that will perform to raise money to combat the pandemic.

6. Craft Shops and Studios Gift Ideas

With crafts moving from social outings to at-home activities as a result of physical distancing, many art instructors and educators have created free online resources and classes to help parents plan fun activities with their kids during school closures. Museums have also launched free virtual tours.

To ensure that our neighborhood pottery studios, knitting classes, and paint night date spots are still open when we’re able to socialize again, consider these gift ideas like purchasing a gift certificate or membership to art, craft, or culinary studio near you, or an Etsy gift card to support local artisans. It’ll make for a perfect Friday night out in a few months time!

7. Self-Care Industry Gift Ideas

With non-essential businesses being forced to close their doors, salons, spas, and massage parlors are seeing a huge drop in revenue, leaving their employees without their normal paychecks.

Setting up a group gift for a gift card to a local spa or beauty business provides a small business with cash they can use to pay their employees until this challenging time is over. Your friend will appreciate the opportunity to pamper themselves after being stuck at home. This is one of the amazing gift ideas we need to unwind after experiencing an era of uncertainty!

Do you have more gift ideas?

Is there a small business in your area that could use extra support during the pandemic? Tell us about it by emailing [email protected] or shoot us a message on Twitter or Instagram!

ABOUT PRESENTLY

Presently is a group-gifting platform that gives people an easy way to contribute to a single gift, together. Designed for kids and adults alike, Presently enables communities to gift better, choosing quality over quantity.

Organize a group gift here.

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