Locally Owned, Locally Loved

Best Boomer Towns - Town Blogs

Written by Megan McConachie, from Columbia, Missouri on Oct 08, 2009

Columbia is a goldmine of fantastic local businesses. Their presence throughout the city truly provides a ‘uniquely Columbia' experience for visitors and residents alike. What local businesses have to offer combines the personal touch of a small town and the world-class products of a large city. In fact, Forbes named Columbia as the number five ‘Best Small Place for Business and Careers' in March 2009 based on a variety of factors including cost of living, cost of doing business and projected job growth.

Many of Columbia's local businesses are concentrated in the downtown area known as The District. In The District, local galleries, shops and restaurants line the streets and provide residents with an endless supply of beautiful art, exceptional products and delicious food. Galleries in The District include PS Gallery, the Columbia Art League and Bluestem. Each provides amazing local, regional and national art to peruse and purchase. With rotating exhibits, an art lover will always be able to find something new to see. When you're in the mood to do a little shopping, there are shops for any taste. Calhouns and A la Campagne provide charming and unique home accents. You can stop into Makes Scents for anything from bath beads to personalized fragrances, and The Candy Factory churns out all types of sweets. If you need something new to wear, everything from vintage clothes to designer fasions await you.

Of course, shopping can work up an appetite! If a coffee stop is all you need, you can sit a spell in Lakota or Uprise Bakery and enjoy delcious drinks and perhaps even a snack. If a meal is what you need, the options are almost endless. Sycamore takes locally owned even further by using many locally produced products in creating their menu. Other fantastic options include Main Squeeze, Shakespeare's Pizza and Bleu Restaurant and Wine Bar. To plan a day in The District, start on their website at http://www.DiscovertheDistrict.com.

The District isn't the only place to find great local businesses. The Columbia and Boone County Farmers Markets provide fresh produce, meats, cheeses and other products from late spring through early fall. Thousands of people visit these markets each season to stock up on the best mid-Missouri has to offer. A little exploring will reveal many other great local businesses that help make Columbia such a gem.

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