Simplified: Downtown boutiques are banding together to encourage people to shop local and to come downtown, even when it's cold.

Why it matters

  • Veza Owner Ondrea Satchel said she saw a noticeable drop in foot traffic to her downtown clothing boutique the last week in October. It happened right as the temperatures dropped, and she's not the only downtown shop to notice the change.
  • Satchel and other shop owners are teaming up to find creative ways to encourage people to make the trip downtown regardless of the weather. One way they're doing that is with the Holiday Boutique Crawl this weekend, in which shoppers can collect passport punches from 10 different boutiques and be entered to win prizes.
  • It wouldn't be hard to compete, but small business owners downtown are instead opting to work together. The idea is that more people downtown benefits everyone.
"There isn't a competitive spirit, and I think that's so important to the success of the entirety of downtown," said Mel Cotton, owner of Rose & Eugene Presents. "We want you to have the best experience and find what you're looking for because when you're happy with your downtown experience, you're going to come back."

Tell me more about the Holiday Boutique Crawl

Each of the 10 participating boutiques will have passports available, and you can go at your own pace in any order you'd like.

  • Many of the shops will also have special promotions or activities available.

Fill out your entire passport, and you'll be entered to win one of 10 giveaway prizes.

Here's a list of who's participating:

  • Chelsea's Boutique
  • Lauriebelles
  • Layered Elements
  • Mint + Basil
  • MK Threads
  • Primp
  • Rose and Eugene Presents
  • Terra Shepherd
  • Threads by Simply Perfect
  • Veza

Why is shopping local important?

The money you spend at local boutiques stays mostly in Sioux Falls.

"You're directly supporting people in your community," said Chloe Peter, marketing manager for Threads by Simply Perfect.

It can be easy to click a button and order something from a big retailer like Amazon, Satchel said, but she wants people to remember that you can find gifts for everyone on your list shopping locally.

  • She also noted the importance of supporting downtown year-round. If you want it to be open to enjoy in the summer, she said, you have to continue to shop and eat downtown during the winter months.
"We really are a destination for shopping," she said.