Going Local Week in Islip: A Celebration of Community and Small Business

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Show Up, Support, and Strengthen Local Businesses

ISLIP, NY – Imagine a world where every time you grab a bite to eat, sign your child up for an activity, or even pick up a bouquet of flowers, you’re directly contributing to the heart and soul of your community. That’s the vision behind Going Local Week, a new initiative launching in Islip from Monday, March 24, to Sunday, March 30.

Inspired by the overwhelming support Islip has shown for struggling businesses, Going Local Long Island and Chef Michael Landesberg of Jackson Hall American Bar & Grill have teamed up to create a movement that encourages residents to prioritize local businesses. Think of it like Restaurant Week—but better! This initiative includes restaurants, florists, dance studios, lawn care services, mechanics, and more, each offering exclusive deals to entice the community to shop, dine, and support local.

Going Local Week in Islip is just the beginning, with plans to expand to Huntington in April and additional Long Island towns in the coming months.

A Community That Shows Up

67c8e686c83fcfc929fa0c55 – Going Local Long Island — Click here to see the current list of participants

The idea for Going Local Week was born from the inspiring response Islip showed when local restaurants like Yankee Doodle Dandy and Dang BBQ posted pleas on social media asking for help to stay afloat. The community rallied behind them, proving that when local businesses are in need, Islip residents show up.

Chef Mike regularly receives messages from business owners desperate for ways to keep their doors open. Rather than trying to save businesses one by one, Going Local Week is an opportunity to help them all—together, as a community.

With over 35 businesses already participating, the momentum is strong. The week is packed with amazing specials, from discounted meals and free services to unique giveaways—a perfect chance for locals to discover new businesses and reconnect with old favorites.

Take the 7-Day Going Local Week Challenge!

Not sure how to get involved? Take the “7-Day Going Local Challenge” by supporting one local business each day. Here’s an example of how your week could look:

• Monday: Dine at Jackson Hall and receive 15% off your check.

• Tuesday: Sign your kids up at Master Jang’s Black Belt Taekwondo for a free two-week trial.

• Wednesday: Pick yourself up a new plant at Growinshade Plant Shop.

• Thursday: Grab lunch with a friend at Kleiber Country Store and get a free small chopped salad with the purchase of another at regular price.

• Friday: Enjoy dinner at Harp & Hound with 15% off your check.

• Saturday: Prepare for summer with Lawn Pride and get your first lawn application free.

• Sunday: Stop by Caroline’s Flower Shop for a free red rose and brighten your home with a fresh bouquet.

Every dollar spent locally circulates back into the community, helping to keep small businesses open and thriving.

Why Going Local Week Matters

For years, local businesses have struggled to compete against big-box stores and online giants. If we don’t take action now, our communities risk being overrun by corporate chains and losing the personal touch that makes them special.

When was the last time Amazon sponsored your child’s sports team?

Has McDonald’s ever donated to your school fundraiser?

Small businesses aren’t just places to shop and dine; they’re the backbone of our neighborhoods. They employ locals, support schools, and create the unique charm that makes a town feel like home.

How to Get Involved

For Business Owners:

Want to participate in Going Local Week? Email [email protected] by March 15 to be included in the master list of specials.

For the Community:

1. Show up. Shop, dine, and support participating businesses throughout the week.

2. Take the challenge. Support at least one local business per day.

3. Spread the word. Post photos of your experiences, tag the businesses, and use #GoingLocalWeek to encourage others to join in.

A full list of participating businesses and specials will be available on Going Local Long Island’s website soon—stay tuned!

Claiming Your Discount During Going Local Week

To redeem Going Local Week specials, simply mention the password: “Going Local Week” at participating businesses.

To see which local businesses have already signed up, and their specials, CLICK HERE!

Together, We Can Save Our Local Businesses

Every time you order from Amazon or grab takeout from a national chain, you’re making a choice. Instead, choose local.

Join us for Going Local Week in Islip and help keep our community strong, vibrant, and full of the businesses that make it unique. See you out there!

For more articles about local businesses in Islip, click HERE!

Melissa Farrell

Melissa Farrell has a mission to support local business by "Going Local." As a local business owner herself, she understands the struggles entrepreneurs face when owning a business and is always trying to find ways to shine a spotlight onto them. Melissa started Going Local Tours & Experiences back in 2020 during the pandemic in hopes to bring people back into local restaurants and shops. She created food tours in Huntington, NY that would stop at 3-4 local businesses and gave the guests the chance to meet the owner and hear the story behind the business. She soon realized how powerful storytelling is when connecting people to local businesses and created options with local store owners as well to bring them onto the tour to share their story. Melissa wanted to expand out of Huntington to be able to support even more local businesses and started creating luxury picnics where she would bring local to you! She would find local businesses in the area of the picnic set up and deliver it to you offering ways to support over 3 local businesses at each picnic. This wasn't enough. She wanted to find a better way to help spread awareness of local businesses and share their stories. Enter Evangeline Knell...a woman with over 30 years of broadcasting experience who somehow convinced Melissa to host a 3 day live stream from the Huntington Fall Festival. She had never been on camera before, but working alongside Evie to create the 3 shows, gave Melissa the confidence to take on the challenge. The 3 shows produced focused on the local vendors, the food trucks and the events that occurred at the festival and had a much larger reach than Melissa could ever of done on her own. They soon realized a business partnership was needed and combined their two businesses, Identity Digital which is a production company and Going Local Tours and Experiences to form Going Local Media. Evie and Melissa even formed their own distribution outlet by creating Going Local TV, a streaming platform like Netflix or YouTube, that is all about local businesses, events and organizations on Long Island. There are over 200 videos including their podcast series "Let's Get Local" "Long Island Business Minds" and "Local Business Spotlight" that help spread awareness of our local businesses and Long Island Professionals. They are always thinking up new ways to support local, including this site, Going Local Long Island is a directory of articles on how to Go Local on Long Island. We appreciate you taking the time to read this and for supporting local! Thank you!

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