‘Shop First Friday’ brings community and commerce together in Downtown Bloomington

Image courtesy of the City of Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – On the first Friday of each month, downtown Bloomington lights up with music, sales and a strong sense of community for “Shop First Friday,” an event designed to celebrate and support small, locally owned businesses.

Downtown Development Specialist, Taylor Kern, said the idea grew out of a nationwide movement that highlights the importance of shopping small, especially during the holiday season. 

“We have a couple different Shop Small events throughout the month of November because November is celebrating small businesses, especially right before the holidays,” Kern said. “Our first Friday event is Shop Small and Give Thanks, a kickoff to the Shop Small month that we’ve been doing for years and years now.” 

Kern said the goal is simple: strengthen the local economy by encouraging residents to support the people who make Bloomington unique. 

“Shopping small is huge within Downtown Bloomington,” Kern said. “Our business owners are all from here and put their unique take on shopping Downtown. The more shoppers they have, the more longevity their shops and services have.” 

Around 130 businesses call Downtown Bloomington home, ranging from retail shops to restaurants, salons and even tattoo studios. While not every business formally participates, most stay open and ready for visitors during the monthly event. 

“Typically, we see retailers be involved,” Kern explained. “A lot of services and restaurants have been getting in on the mix as well. Whether that’s drink specials, food deals, or sales. We even have things like a tarot reader or piercer Downtown. The more community interest we get, the more businesses sign up.” 

The city measures success not just by sales, but by community engagement and foot traffic. 

“We talk to a lot of business owners and see how their days went and how many people came through the doors,” Kern said. “We also use Placer AI, which tracks Downtown visitors through cell phone data. The more people we have downtown, the more successful the event is for us.” 

The impact, Kern said, has been both economic and social. Increased turnout means more revenue for small shops, but it also fosters a sense of community pride and connection. 

“Especially with everything going on in the economy, it’s a way to give back to your community and also build community,” Kern added. “A lot of the shops downtown are things you can’t get online or at big stores. It’s all unique experiences.” 

 To find out more about what events Bloomington has during November, visit visitbn.org/events.