(This story is sponsored by Vancouver BIAs.)

With local retail businesses and restaurants closed during the pandemic, Vancouverites have been encouraged to stay home and fend for themselves. But let’s be honest, a mug filled with drip coffee from your kitchen pales in comparison to the double shot vanilla latte from the café down the street.

Furthermore, sushi made at home tastes absolutely nothing like the melt-in-your-mouth rolls you get at the nearby Japanese restaurant. It’s safe to say that everyone is looking forward to the reopening of Vancouver’s beloved businesses.

On May 29, Vancouver’s 22 BIAs (Business Improvement Associations) unveiled the “Open with Care” campaign that encourages Vancouverites to shop local as businesses reopen with customer and staff safety top of mind.

As businesses carefully open and adjust to the new normal, it’s important that visiting customers remain mindful and patient—we are all in this together. With Vancouver businesses increasing sanitization practices and many implementing the use of PPE, customers can return to their favourite boutiques, watering holes, and eateries with confidence. Vancouver’s residents can resume their hobbies of patio drinks in the sunshine and happy hour munchies without worry.

Whether you’re itching to do some retail therapy or need ingredients for a physical distancing BBQ that you’re hosting, look to the local businesses. Supporting Vancouver’s unique stores, grocers, and restaurants during this uncertain time will keep our communities strong.

“With businesses taking necessary precautions to keep their staff, customers, and the community safe, we can all rest assured that health and wellness are the top priorities for reopening,” says Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart. “We should be proud of our local entrepreneurs and continue supporting our city’s amazing businesses, restaurants, and shops as we move forward together.”

Vancouver’s charm comes from its independently owned, one-of-a-kind stores and restaurants. Instead of ordering items from Amazon or making a box of Kraft Dinner for the hundredth time, make a conscious effort to shop local and support our economy.

For updated hours and information on the businesses in your community, contact the business directly or visit your BIAs website.