14,000 businesses, 40,000 blocks: Meet the defender of NYC small businesses

People love to preach about supporting small businesses. But how they show up for small businesses can be a different story. When given the choice between convenience and community, how many times do people choose the former? This disconnect between intention and action creates a worrying paradox, one that swallows small businesses whole.

That’s why New Yorker Caroline Weaver started The Locavore Guide, a digital directory for local shopping in NYC. Caroline wants people to reflect on their shopping habits and shift from passive support of small businesses to active engagement. A serial entrepreneur herself and Shopify merchant, she’s built a fierce community of other small business owners who are determined to protect and empower the independent shops and brands that make NYC great.

“You can go on a world tour just by visiting the right shops in New York City.”

Sitting in her colorful office in Greenwich Village, Caroline has become the face of a local shopping movement. She has made the success of small businesses, well, her business.

“There's nothing like the belonging you can find when you just engage with the community you exist in. That’s the key to our social wellness and also the key to the survival of small businesses,” says Caroline.

She not only runs The Locavore Guide but recently opened the brick-and-mortar Locavore Variety Store in Greenwich Village where she spotlights 700 products from more than 100 independent brands based within 100 miles of NYC. Powered by Shopify POS, it’s a place that’s been described as an “emporium of everything,” and offers New Yorkers an easy way to browse all of NYC in a single shop.

“I think a lot of people like the idea of shopping local and see it as a virtue, but in practice, they don’t do it.”

She wants people to stop the lip service and start making real connections with local shopkeepers. So she decided to make those connections easier for shoppers.

Over the past year, she’s walked more than 40,000 city blocks, explored more than 200 neighborhoods, and cataloged more than 14,000 local businesses—many of which are powered by Shopify.

From The Brownstone Woman in Harlem, to Sweet Pickle Books in the Lower East Side, The Locavore Guide is mapping every inch of New York City, making one of the biggest cities in the world feel a lot smaller. The Locavore Guide has become a go-to for locals and tourists alike, and now she even sells popular Locavore merch through her Shopify store.

Her first foray into entrepreneurship was the 2014 launch of pencil specialty shop, CW Pencil Enterprise. It was a whimsical venture that showcased over 400 pencil models from around the globe. Yet, despite its charm, the shop faced financial hurdles, ultimately leading to its closure in 2021. But the community she built endured, a testament to the connections forged through shared passions.

During the pandemic, as the world grew more disconnected, Caroline saw a critical need for The Locavore. “People were shouting about shopping local, but they were doing it online, disconnected from their neighborhoods,” she explains. “I realized there was a huge gap between what consumers thought they were doing and what small businesses actually needed.” She set out to bridge that gap, creating a guide that would illuminate the hidden gems in every neighborhood.

At the crux of The Locavore’s mission is a simple yet profound idea: “Shopping is a mode of communicating,” Caroline states. “It’s about finding connection and community. Why live in NYC if you’re not seeking that out?”

“What some fail to realize is that people don’t just open shops for no reason. They open shops because they really care about something, and they’re really good at that thing. It’s insane to have a small business otherwise,” says Caroline. In 2024, 30% of business owners and 45% of aspiring entrepreneurs said they were chiefly motivated by their desire to pursue a passion project.*

“When you have that type of passion, inherently there will always be stories to tell.”

Now, she’s taking the mission of The Locavore Guide on the road, with planned stops in 15 towns and cities that include Bentonville, Arkansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Bozeman, Montana; and Ojai, California. NYC was only the beginning.

“I want to franchise this idea and bring it to other people in other communities.”

Caroline is doing more than advocating for small businesses. She is igniting a movement that calls upon all of us to engage more deeply with our surroundings, to connect with the person behind the counter.

“We can do a little better,” she insists. “It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being engaged.”

*Results for the Gallup entrepreneur poll are based on responses from a survey of 46,993 U.S. adults (18+ years old) conducted online May 1-14, 2024. All participants are members of Gallup’s probability-based, nationally representative panel.