In the Community Refer great potential employees to shop owners looking for help. Local people are great sources for the personal recommendations business owners need when they need to hire, during the holidays and all year long. Reach out to people you know and connect them with business owners to help with the hiring crunch. Write a great review. Even if your budget is tight this year and you may be cutting back on holiday purchases, you can help spread the word about great local businesses with positive reviews on Yelp, like and share social media posts, and tell your friends how much you enjoy the products and services you find along the Avenues. Gift cards and gift certificates are a win-win. Giving everyone on your list a gift card to your favorite Avenue shop is a huge win for business owners and eliminates any worries about your presents being the wrong color or size! Shop local for your holiday party clothes. Retail therapy before the holidays and when the winter blues hit is a great way to support the local business owners who offer a wide variety of apparel along the West Reading corridor. 12 Avenues Winter 2021-22