How To Help Chattanooga Through Shelter-In-Place

BY EMMA JOHNSON 5 MINUTE READ

There Is Strength In Chattanooga!

Within a month hundreds of jobs lost and employee hours are cut in the Chattanooga area. Local shops, malls, movie theaters, spas, and tourist attractions to name a few are all shut down to the public. Eateries across the valley are closed for dining. Restrictions on travel have taken place. Everyone is asked to stay home with a shelter in place order. Aware of the tremendous fall in the U.S. economy it appears the suffering of Chattanooga’s economy to be inevitable. Or is it?

An uplifting comment by Dr. Bill Fox, director of the University of Tennessee Center for Business and Economic Research in this Chattanooga Times Free Press article has us hanging onto hope. He stated that until February 2020 the economic strength of Chattanooga was “looking really strong…” He goes on to say, “…so we know that going into whatever challenges we get from this coronavirus we will enter this uncharted period ahead in a strong economic condition.” If you are a local business owner do you feel the above statement rings true?

Across the nation business owners are honoring the safety of their employees and customers. They are transitioning everything online to keep things alive. Restaurants are resorting to online orders with curbside pick-ups. Shop’s are putting all their items online to shop and offering shipping or pick-up options.

Ways To Keep Chattanooga Thriving 

We all benefit from Chattanooga’s healthy economy. A thriving city provides thriving businesses. Thriving businesses provide thriving Chattanooga families.

Here are some ways you can support the Chattanooga economy during this time. 

-You can click on the name of each business listed below to go straight to their website. (Please note that business operations may change for each of the following businesses after the posting of this article. Updates to this post will be made as changes to businesses are made public. You can also visit each business’s website to obtain the most updated information).

Shop local online for all your self care items! Try Good Fortune Soap where they are currently offering soap bars buy one get one free! They also have 25% off liquid soap, 10% off all skincare as well as essential oils. It’s time to stock up!

Check out  Elea Blake Cosmetics for your make-up needs instead of buying from the big box stores. They offer lots of color options on all their makeup. So much goodness on their site. 

Grab a Chattanooga puzzle from Blue Skies Perfect Little Gifts to work on or browse some of their other knickknacks.

You need some artisan bread to go with that homemade dinner. Buy some online from Bread & Butter, a locally owned Artisan Bakery and Local Market. Or from Niedlovs Bakery.

Add some local Nokes Granola to your pantry for a delicious snack or a hearty breakfast.

Grab your morning coffee, pastries, or lunch curbside from Rembrandt’s Coffee House . Buy some local coffee online to make at home from Mad Priest Coffee House.

Order some Clumpies Ice Cream to enjoy on a warm sunny day at home. They offer pint packs also that can be delivered straight to your home. Place an order before 2PM Monday – Friday to have it delivered to your home if you live in the Chattanooga area.

Tired of cooking for every meal? Spice things up a bit by ordering to-go from one of your favorite local restaurants. Most of them are still open and offering curb-side pick-up. Visit Eat On The House to see which local restaurants are still open for pick-up.

The month of April really sets off the Spring Season as well as a lot of birthdays! Send your loved ones with birthdays this month a special cake from Sierra’s Cakewerks. You can also throw a virtual birthday party by streaming live on Facebook or doing a group Facetime call. Maybe you should add a dozen cupcakes and cookies to your order for a well deserved personal treat.

Julie Darling Donuts is also a great way to celebrate a birthday or just to have as a treat at home. 

Want to stock up on treats that are also nutritious? I’m talking Gluten Free and Dairy Free treats! Visit Alms + Fare to buy their delicious goodies online. I’ve been eyeing those raw cinnamon rolls and berry muffins myself.

Send a gift from Divine Goods and Gifts to let a loved one know you are thinking about them. They also make great birthday gifts. They offer some fun goodies. Don’t forget to treat yourself too!

Need a little something new to spice up your homemade dishes? Shuptrines Twisted local chow chow and marinades are the perfect way to add a little extra to your kitchen creation! They also offer recipe’s on their social media accounts and will be doing a live cooking show for Easter soon! (Be sure to check out their Facebook and Instagram account for the Live show).

Online retail therapy is calling your name! Check out Chattanooga’s Off The Rack local clothing boutique to satisfy your inner fashionista. 

Let’s not forget about our precious pets! Check out Nooga Paws for all your pet needs. Loving all their healthy options! 

Also, Barley Bones offers homemade dog treats as well as CBD oils and balms for pets. 

Speaking of CBD right now is the perfect time to buy some for ourselves. Hill City Hemp sells great quality CBD oil that has been vetted by and is sold at Nutrition World as well. Nutrition World is also a great local place to purchase all your vitamins and supplements. 

Calling all Chattanooga North Shore regulars! Check out NorthShoreChattanooga.com for all things North Shore. It includes merchants, business and park hours, and shopping options.

Buying Local For Easter Challenge  

Spring has sprung, and the shelter-in-place order has rung, and the Easter preparations have begun! Have no fear Chattanoogan’s because the resources for your Easter needs from Nooga Made are here! Okay, enough rhyming. Let’s get down to it. Trying to break the habit of big box store shopping can be tough. Let’s start with a challenge! Challenge yourself to shop local for all your Easter needs. Here are some resources for you. 

Visit @sweetbriarvegan on Instagram for some homemade Easter chocolates! Oh, and they are vegan! You can email laura@sweetbriarvegan.com to place an order. She is asking for all orders asap to receive them in time for Easter, no later than April 10th. 

For regular Chocolate options check out Belle Chocolates. It’s also Chattanooga’s first Bean to Bar Chocolate! 

Fill your home with Spring Blooms this Easter. Grab some flowers from the Joli Jardin Flower Farm stand in Signal Mtn. Visit their website and instagram for details. 

Find some beautiful accessories to add to your Easter outfit at Rising Dawn Boutique on Etsy. Another one offering beautiful handmade jewelry is Bela Co. That’s right, you can still get fancy while staying home and listening to your Easter Service online. 

If you want to stock up on fresh market produce (ahem, Easter Eggs) and items visit Main Street Farmers Market. They are open every Wednesday from 4 to 6PM. Check their website for the included vendors to prepare your shopping list. You can also contact the vendors in advance to preorder and pay for quick pick-up on Wednesday. 

Feel like treating yourselves to take-out for Easter weekend? Order To-Go from Tony’s Pasta Shop and add a bottle from Tony’s Italian wine list. 

Together We Create A Vigorous Chattanooga Economy

It’s safe to say those that love our city of Chattanooga love to see our local businesses thrive. Right now is an important time for Chattanoogan’s to come together. We can safely support one another during this time online. The businesses listed above are only a few of many available in the Chattanooga area. Visit Nooga Made on social media. There you can browse all the wonderful local Chattanooga makers they love sharing. There are so many good ones!

Are you a local Chattanooga business or maker that wants to be featured by Nooga Made? Simply tag @NoogaMade in your posts and use #NoogaMade in your caption. Feel free to contact them for more information. You can send Nooga Made a direct message, email, or leave a comment on this post. 

Each one of us can make a huge difference for our city by creating a habit of buying local. Before purchasing anything online ask yourself if there’s a local shop you can buy the items from instead. Together we can maintain a healthy and thriving Chattanooga economy. A little local love goes a long way today.

Written by:

Locally Sheltered-In-Place Copywriter, Emma Johnson
EmmaJAgency@gmail.com

This blog is a place for you to talk about local things. Submit your articles and stories to info@noogamade.org to get featured here.