Nearly twenty downtown shops are participating in the three-day sale, which kicks off July 14 in conjunction with the City’s 2nd Friday ArtAbout.
The Downtown Davis Sidewalk Sale has been a tradition for more than four decades—and local businesses have never needed the support of shoppers more than they do now.
Expect live music, sidewalk chalk art, art exhibits, and big discounts from local businesses. It’s a major orchestration to make all of this happen at once, and for good reason. Business owners need it.
Retail sales are down nationwide. Businesses are still suffering from pandemic inflation.
Yelena Ivashchenko sees this from all angles. She’s owner of Bohème Clothing & Gifts and a member of the Downtown Davis Business Association Board of Directors. She organized this year’s Sidewalk Sale to support businesses that may be struggling even more during the summer months.
“Having this event in July is aimed to support businesses to stay afloat during slow times as locals travel and students are out of town,” Ivashchenko told The Dirt. “And the chance to drum up sales during an otherwise slow month.”
Despite the struggle, small businesses continue to serve an incredibly necessary purpose in Davis and Yolo County. Namely, creating and fostering community.
“We believe with every fiber of our beings that locally owned and operated businesses are essential because they exist for and alongside their neighbors,” Erin Arnold, co-owner of Avid Reader and Avid & Co, told The Dirt. “No one is nameless or their preferences guided by an algorithm in the Avid stores.”
Local businesses host local events, donate to local charities, and connect with people in a real-life, human way.
In the Amazon Prime Era, clicking something to the front door is easy. But if we want the small shops we love and enjoy to continue existing, Arnold said, we have to support them.
“Perhaps the most powerful way we can influence society is how we spend our money,” Arnold said. “If we want a vibrant town full of quirky booksellers and unique birthday gifts, we must choose to support those businesses. And bonus, if stores you love do well: it’s far more likely that more will arrive!”
Spending your dollars geographically also ensures the taxes you’re paying get used locally.
“Local businesses not only pay their employees, they also spend and donate money at other local businesses and non-profit organizations,” Ivashchenko said. “By buying local, you help create jobs for your friends and neighbors, contribute to improved public infrastructure, and invest in your community both socially and economically.”
Each shop will offer their own unique deals, but the DDBA gave us a preview. Expect $2, $3, and $4 racks at Bohème, a fundraiser benefiting Yolo Cares at Armadillo Music, and a pop-up vendor market at Growing Groves.
Check the DDBA’s website for an updated list of participating businesses.
Participating Businesses
- Pinkadot
- Logos Books
- Sole Desire
- Bohème Clothing & Gifts
- The Wardrobe
- The Vault Board Shop
- The Paint Chip
- SPCA Thrift Store
- Pure Barre
- Bubble Belly
- The Growing Groves
- Peachy Lady
- Mabel’s Farm Box
- The Avid Reader
- Avid & Co.