Ingenuity by the local community, for the local community—and beyond: Upper West Siders Jennifer Simoni and Rachel Sheckman have organized the first-ever UWS Candy Cane Crawl, inviting everyone to tour the neighborhood, score sweet deals, and maybe even win a prize.
On Sunday, December 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., over thirty local businesses—from Bespoke Brows to West Side Kids—will offer special one-day-only shopping deals. Each participating Upper West Side small business will also have a jar of candy canes for visitors to enjoy. Shoppers who make a purchase will receive a raffle ticket from each store they patronize, offering a chance to win an Upper West Side gift basket worth over $500.
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“We had been talking about doing a small business event together since we first met,” said Jennifer Simoni, owner of The Sunshinery, a local gift boutique on the corner of West 87th and Columbus Avenue, and co-host of the Candy Cane Crawl. Call it a recipe for success—Simoni’s partner in shine, Rachel Sheckman, is the operator of @thebestoftheupperwest, an Instagram page that highlights the best of the neighborhood. “Although we’re in New York City, the Upper West Side can feel like a small town—in the very best way.” Simoni and Sheckman know firsthand how local businesses and mom-and-pop shops add to the character of the neighborhood. Now, they’ve given us yet another awesome reason to support them. Thank you.
We asked Simoni and Sheckman if they saw the UWS Candy Cane Crawl becoming a yearly event. They definitely do—and even took it a step further, revealing they’d like to host an event in the spring as well.
Take me there—I want to go there! There’s a map for that, crafted by Upper West Sider Alexa from Curated Creations, a creative studio, who designed all the graphics for the Candy Cane Crawl.
The southernmost point on the crawl is Poetry of Material Things, located at 220 Columbus Avenue and West 70th Street. They’re offering a 10% discount, while Poulet Sans Tete, the casual rotisserie chicken spot at 89th and Amsterdam, is serving peppermint patty soft serve ice cream cups for $5. Along the way, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to drop into spots like The Niche Shop, a vintage and secondhand clothing store by 79th and Broadway. PlantShed at 87th and Columbus is offering 30% off all four- and six-inch plants, while jelly donut kingpins, Orwashers at 81st and Amsterdam, will treat you to a free 8 oz. cup of peppermint mocha with any purchase.
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When asked how she felt about over thirty local merchants joining the inaugural Candy Cane Crawl, Simoni said she was thrilled with the response. “We love that businesses want to support other businesses and celebrate the neighborhood.”
For a full list of businesses and to view a map of their locations, click here.
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LOVE THIS!!!