This piece was written by Les Sól owners Megan and Mikaela Harrod.

To be honest (and we’re certainly not looking for a pity party, although of course we love your support, and we have LOTS of amazing new arrivals), this season - and this year in general - has been very challenging. When we opened a few years ago during the first (and hopefully only) global pandemic of our lifetime, we kept telling ourselves and each other, “It can only get better from here, right?!” Welp, fast forward three years and it continues to be challenging… even more so with this crazy inflation that we are all dealing with.

We knew starting a business during the pandemic was risky. The need to relocate after two years was not ideal, but we embraced the move from Linden Hills to Uptown. We were excited to be a part of a group of small businesses looking to revitalize this little corner of Uptown, and we love our neighbors. It’s still a work in progress, but we are optimistic about changing perception about this area and committed to spreading awareness about the work we are all doing in an effort to bring more traffic to this part of Minneapolis.

On top of that, the Instagram algorithm is certainly not helping small businesses thrive… or even survive. When so many elements seem to be working against you as a struggling small business, it’s disheartening to say the least. For instance, our Instagram stories are being seen by just about 9% of our following. Our in-feed posts are getting lost in the abyss with decreased organic reach because the algorithm's focus on user preferences means that our content is likely not being seen by our followers.

What can you do to help small businesses?

Shop, engage with their content on social media - like, comment, and share their content. Recommend a small biz; leave a positive review on Google. Bring awareness in any way you are able, especially this holiday season.

It’s easy to shop fast fashion. But, sustainable and slow fashion lasts longer and sustains lives. When you shop small, local, and sustainable, you’re making an investment…and making an impact as well as changing lives in the supply chain for the better. If you're a fellow small business, we understand your plight and we support you and send you love. THANK YOU to our community for all of your support and love.

Shopping small not only makes a difference in the lives of business owners and everyone involved in the supply chain, it also makes a difference in YOUR life. About 67 cents for every dollar you spend at a local business gets poured back into the local economy and infrastructure, compared to 45 cents of every dollar when you shop at big box stores. That being said, there are so many incredible small businesses local to the Twin Cities that you can shop.

Here are a few we love:

Hazel & Rose

Scout

Golden Rule

Parc

Spoils of Wear

Legacy

Combine

Foxwell

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Les Sól is located at 1614 W Lake St