The Season of Community: Why Supporting Local Businesses Matters More Than Ever

Small businesses, family-owned shops, and local entrepreneurs are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods. They nurture and invigorate the communities they call home, preserving traditions, creating opportunities, uplifting families, and driving our local economies.

Supporting local this holiday season is more than a thoughtful gesture—it’s a direct investment in the people and stories who keep our communities strong and vibrant.

Choose to shop local, uplift local, and celebrate the businesses that help our community shine.

We encourage everyone to come out to Vivian’s Door Jingle & Mingle Market this Saturday! Support the local businesses that make our community special, connect with neighbors, and celebrate together.

Spotlight on Our Jingle & Mingle Market Vendors

Retail Room LA — Mobile, Alabama

Founder: Ashley Hall-Stallworth

Retail Room LA traces its beginnings to childhood summers spent exploring her grandmother’s closet — a world of textures, colors, and imagination that never left Ashley’s heart. Even after earning a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare from the University of South Alabama, fashion remained her true calling.

In August 2020, Ashley launched Retail Room LA, an online boutique offering quality, size-inclusive, affordable fashion. Her brand is known for confident style, inclusive sizing, and a warm, welcoming customer experience.

Retail Room LA is more than clothing — it’s expression, empowerment, and wearable confidence.

Vivian’s Beauty Supply — Citronelle, Alabama

Founder: Evelyn Shepard

In a quiet Alabama town, Evelyn held more than a dream — she held her mother’s legacy.

Her spark ignited during a trip to the Cincinnati Jazz Festival, when she noticed that the small town she visited had a beauty supply store. Citronelle did not.

“Why doesn’t my town have this?” Back home, she reached out to a friend in the beauty industry and began building the beauty supply store her community had long needed.

A Name Born of Love

Named after her late mother, Vivian, the store is a living tribute to Evelyn’s greatest inspiration. “My mother was the heart of our family,” she said. “Naming my store after her keeps her memory alive.” Vivian’s Beauty Supply is more than a store — it is legacy, access, representation, and love.

A Community Anchor

Evelyn envisions her shop as a place where customers feel welcomed, valued, and seen.

As the first and only beauty supply store within 20 miles, Vivian’s Beauty Supply fills a critical gap in her community.

Vee’s Vintage Sweets — Mobile, Alabama

Founder: Vee Jackson

“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity.” – Oprah Winfrey

Vee Jackson doesn’t just bake — she warms hearts. As the founder and head baker of Vee’s Vintage Sweets, she pours memory, comfort, and joy into every dessert.

Her journey began with a weathered Delchamps bag filled with handwritten recipes from her great-grandmother Nettie Coleman. Inside were the family secrets to cakes that taste like love.

Her first cake — a pineapple upside-down beauty — sparked the beginning of a sweet, unexpected path.

With encouragement from her son, Vee launched Vee’s Vintage Sweets on June 11, 2011. Her cakes quickly became community favorites — and they sell out fast at markets.

“Don’t be afraid,” Vee says. “Fear delays so many dreams.”

K Glo Skincare — Mobile, Alabama

Twin Founders: Roxane “Tiny” Burton & Rosalind Pryor Williams

“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.” — Thomas Henry Huxley

K Glo Skincare is the radiant creation of twin sisters Roxane “Tiny” Burton and Rosalind Pryor Williams, gifted beauty professionals with a shared mission: helping people glow from the inside out.

Their skincare line is crafted with intention — nourishing, soothing, and rooted in the belief that beauty begins with self-care and confidence.

Abston’s Farmers Market — St. Stephens, Alabama

Farmer: Joe Abston

Before sunrise paints the sky, Joe Abston is already tending the land. For him, farming is devotion, legacy, and service.

“I don’t think anybody should go hungry if I have food to give.”

This Saturday, Joe will bring fresh, homegrown vegetables — whatever the season provides, grown with love and pride.

How You Can Support Local Businesses Throughout the Year

• Choose local before big-box stores.
• Share their posts and products on social media.
• Buy gift cards for friends and family.
• Leave positive reviews online.
• Host events at local venues.
• Collaborate with local businesses for community projects.
• Arrange regular visits to farmers’ markets and local fairs.

Final Thoughts

This holiday season, let’s focus on community by supporting local businesses.

This Saturday, December 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., join us at the Jingle & Mingle Holiday Market at Vivian’s Door Office, located at 2200 Government Street. Shop Local, Sip Cocoa, and Spread Cheer with Us as We Support Our Local Vendors!

When we invest in local businesses, our whole community thrives.