“You know, love bombing, it’s not toxic anymore.”
That’s Claire Osterman, owner of Ebb & Flow Design Co. Osterman, alongside Joy Ice Cream Social owner Liz Joy, has developed a month-long activity for consumers to check out Milwaukee’s women-owned businesses. Throughout February you can participate in “Love Bomb,” and pour your hearts into supporting the amazing women in Milwaukee who pour their own hearts, talent, and brilliance into running local businesses. “Love Bomb” involves a wide range of businesses, from bars and restaurants like Boone & Crocket and Odd Duck to spaces like 414loral and Safadi Coffee.
“If you love a local business in Milwaukee, tell your friends about it. Become their biggest amplifier. What you believe in and what you love, that’s what people are going to listen to the most because they trust and value your opinion,” Osterman says, discussing how impactful it is to spread the love locally.
Graphic: Chandler Hougan
“Love Bomb” is an activity that spans the entirety of February. Each day, participants have the option to visit or support one of Milwaukee’s women-owned businesses. There are many ways to participate: visiting the businesses, purchasing their offerings, following them online, reposting their content, sharing them with friends, leaving Google reviews, and more. Participants can grab a punch card at the first location they visit, and mark off which businesses they attend throughout the month. There are 10 spaces on the punch card to check off.
You can drop off your punch card at Ebb & Flow Design Co. on February 27, or at Joy Ice Cream Social on the 28th. You’ll then be entered to win some prizes from businesses that participated in “Love Bomb,” and there will also be some stickers given away. Whether you attend one, two, or 10 businesses, your participation is valued and appreciated.
Osterman says the purpose of “Love Bomb” is to create momentum and “light up” Milwaukee’s businesses. With hundreds of thousands of combined followers between all of the businesses’ social media presences, it’s an amazing way to spread the love digitally.
Here are the dates of the official “Love Bomb” calendar:
2/1 – Boone & Crockett
2/2 – To Hell & Back Vintage & Repairs
2/3 – Style Pop Cafe
2/4 – lyss + Littles
2/5 – Flour Girl & Flame
2/6 – Shop Privy
2/7 – CIVAL
2/8 – Delicious Bites
2/9 – Safadi Coffee
2/10 – The Ruby Tap
2/11 – Little Geese Shop
2/12 – Indigo Plant Collective
2/13 – Lilliput Records
2/14 – The Well Red Damsel
2/15 – Kelly’s Greens
2/16 – Midwest Sad
2/17 – Uncle Wolfie’s, Orange & Blue Co.
2/18 – Small Change
2/19 – Seven Swans Creperie
2/20 – Ruby’s Bagels
2/21 – Plume
2/22 – Comet Cafe, Honey Pie, Palomino, Small Pie
2/23 – URSA
2/24 – Odd Duck
2/25 – Little Village Play Cafe
2/26 – 414loral
2/27 – Ebb & Flow Design Co.
2/28 – Joy Ice Cream Social
“Small businesses, we really care about Milwaukee, we care about the people that live here, and we want to create vibrant, beautiful communities,” Osterman says.
To learn more about “Love Bomb” and how to contribute to this exciting activity, follow @ebbandflowdesignco and @joy_icecream_tosa on Instagram, and all of the participating businesses as well!
Graphic: Chandler Hougan
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