When Monday rolls around in Miami Shores, it’s not just another day of the week. It’s your chance to make a real difference in your community while scoring some seriously unique finds. Small Business Monday isn’t about battling crowds or refreshing checkout pages at midnight. It’s about walking down NE 2nd Avenue and discovering what makes this village special: the people behind the counters who actually know your name.
Your Neighborhood Shops Deserve Your Dollars
Let’s talk about where your money goes when you shop local. Proper Sausages at 9722 NE 2nd Avenue has been serving up artisan sausages and killer sandwiches since 2013. Owners Freddy and Danielle Kaufmann started at farmers’ markets and built something special. Their bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich alone is worth the trip, and their butcher counter stocks locally sourced meats that put grocery store options to shame. Plus, they recently earned a shout-out from CBS Miami for becoming a neighborhood staple.
Don’t sleep on Tinta y Café at 9840 NE 2nd Avenue. This family-run spot earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand mention because they’re doing Cuban sandwiches and café con leche right. The Gervin family can’t get enough of their Cuban sandwich, calling it the best around. The café’s rule? No WiFi, no laptops. Just good food and real conversation. That’s the kind of place worth supporting.
Where the Community Comes Together
Miami Shores knows how to throw a market. The Sunday Farmers Market at Optimist Park (between 94th and 93rd Streets) runs from 10am to 3pm on the first and third Sundays. You’ll find everything from fresh oysters and empanadas to boba teas and handwoven totes. Local vendors bring the goods, and the atmosphere brings neighbors together.
The village also hosts Green Day, a massive celebration along NE 2nd Avenue with over 100 exhibitors showcasing eco-friendly products, custom jewelry, and fair trade items. Add in live music and food from area restaurants, and you’ve got a day that proves shopping local can be a party.
Why Your Purchase Packs a Punch
Here’s the thing about shopping at small businesses: your money doesn’t just disappear into some corporate void. Research from the American Independent Business Alliance shows that 48% of each purchase at local independent businesses stays in the local economy, compared to less than 14% at chain stores. That’s more than three times the impact.
When you buy that sandwich at Tinta y Café, you’re not just feeding yourself. You’re helping them pay local employees, who spend their wages at other Miami Shores businesses, who then support more neighbors. It’s a cycle that builds something real.
Small businesses in the United States create two-thirds of all new jobs, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. In Miami Shores, those jobs go to your neighbors. The tax revenue they generate funds the parks, streets, and services that make this village worth living in.
Gifts That Tell a Story
Skip the generic gift cards this year. Home Crush has locally made candles, baby gifts that new parents will actually use, and jewelry that won’t end up in a drawer. Proper Sausages offers heritage Thanksgiving turkeys and specialty sausages you can’t find anywhere else. At the Sunday Farmers Market, local artisans sell Panama hats, handmade goods, and treats that come with stories about who made them and why.
Shopping small in Miami Shores isn’t complicated. Walk the downtown district along NE 2nd Avenue from 94th to 101st Streets. Chat with the owners. Try something new. Your Monday shopping trip might just become your favorite weekly tradition, and your community will be better for it.
Sources: miamishores.chambermaster.com, propersausages.com, tintaycafe.co, lsbe.d.umn.edu
Header Image Source: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
