Strong, community-supported neighborhood businesses are the lifeblood a city for without them, you would be left with big boxes with revolving door staff or the coldness of shopping in bed from places that have no real meaningful connections to your community. In my opinion, the neighborhood business model is most successful when it is rooted in being neighborly.
On Thursday evening, the Uptown neighborhood, which has seen its fair share of starts and stops over the 30-plus years I have lived here (East Hills was the site of my first apartment in the ‘80s), is throwing out the welcome mat again to everyone as they present the annual
Uptown Holiday Shop Hop on Thursday, December 6, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
What makes this holiday shopping experience so festive is not just that the event spans the four business districts of East Fulton, East Hills, Eastown, and Wealthy Street, but because of the diverse offerings that continue to arrive to set up shop here within these traditional neighborhood business settings on a fairly regular basis these days.
Adding to the charm of these nearly 80-plus participating businesses is the chance to experience holiday carolers and loads of opportunities to nosh as businesses often offer snacks and beverages. And what would a holiday event be with a chance to meet Santa Claus?
Uptown runs shuttles throughout the evening to transport shoppers who may not be up for the walk between those four districts. Advice? Park the car or take a Lyft to your destination because while this is sure to attract a lot of folks, parking can be daunting since it is, after all, a neighborhood you are visiting.
See their site for all the shops and offers for this evening.