CLEVELAND — There's a big push for you to lean on small businesses to find the perfect gift this holiday season.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there were more than 940,000 small businesses in Ohio last year and more than two million people were employed by those businesses. Since the pandemic, many of them have closed for good, leaving many people out of work.
Hayley Mills says when she created her website, the Cleveland Bucket List, she was just looking for a way to shine a light on Cleveland and convince her friends to visit. Now, she’s using the site to get more people to shop local and support small businesses.
“Our small businesses need as much help as possible,” Mills said. “I challenge anyone that's looking for something, even if they think it's very specific, to reach out and we'll find a local business that can do it for them.”
The Cleveland Bucket List is making it easier to do just that. Whether you're shopping for mom, your siblings or even friends, its holiday gift guide has everything mapped out for you with recommendations for items listed and links to the local shop that sells them.
“We put together a bunch of recommendations based on a question that I asked on the bucket list of who the most challenging people in your life to shop for were,” Mills said. “There's something for everyone for sure.”
Mills says more local guides will be available throughout the holiday season.
