In the midst of dual pressures from tariffs and inflation, a unique store in New York City is attracting a lot of attention with its “local manufacturing” concept. Located at 434 Sixth Avenue in West Village, Manhattan, the Locavore Variety Store, founded by the acclaimed “local shopping queen” entrepreneur Caroline Weaver, has rapidly become a new retail paradigm of “supporting local, rejecting big brands” within just a year.
All products in the store come from within a 100-mile radius of New York City, covering over 700 items provided by more than 130 local vendors, including household goods, food, kitchen accessories, and creative gifts.
In an interview with the New York Post, Weaver stated that her store is a manifestation of the “shop local” concept – friendly, fun, and rich in storytelling, something that Amazon and large chain stores can never provide.
The store itself reflects Weaver’s dedication – from supermarket-style shelves moved from a Canarsie warehouse to personally painted wooden floors, creating a space that is both vintage and warm. She emphasizes that the core concept of this store is “openness and sharing,” with diverse price ranges designed to cater to customers of all ages and income levels.
In addition to selling products in the store, Weaver has personally visited 14,000 independent shops across the five boroughs of New York City since 2021, building a vast database and recently publishing the “Locavore Guide,” which features 670 uniquely styled and deserving small businesses, promoting the concept of a “physical small shop map.”
According to statistics from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), since 1990, large corporations in the United States have eliminated 4 million jobs, while small businesses have created 8 million job opportunities. Weaver believes that in the current economic downturn, supporting local production and consumption not only helps stabilize the community’s economy but is also an important way to create memories and emotional connections for the next generation.
Readers who enjoy exploring local small businesses in New York City can visit https://thelocavore.com/ for more information.