Our lifeblood

About a year ago I was meandering the streets of Asheville North Carolina as I was looking for a very specific shop to go to for my birthday. The day was hot but dry, odd for the North Carolina summer, and I couldn't help but notice the faces of store fronts as they reflected the people inside of them. If you've ever been to Asheville, or somewhere that's filled with personality, you know it has a very specific feel to it. That city begins to stand out in your mind like a person with distinct characteristics that make them unique from anyone else.

But what makes that difference? Many would say it's the variety of people that walk the street or the activities that you can do specific to that area. I think it's a combination of those elements.

We can go almost anywhere and find a Target. We can even travel the world and find McDonald's scattered about. Sure, some things are a little bit more regional like Wa-Wa and 7-11s and drum up nostalgia. What really builds the personality of a city though?

Small businesses.

Small businesses are direct extensions of the people behind them. They are filled with their personalities, fueled by their missions, structured specifically in their vision for their community. They give the city life.

There's the small coffee shop that feels more like your best friend's house, the dance studio that has a seat already prepared for you at the table, there's the bakery that makes THE best vegan brownies, the bar that walks you straight down memory lane, the yoga studio with the cool wall art, the breakfast joint that makes biscuits like mama did, the honey place that always has something new and exciting to try, the retail shop that's the Wednesday Adams of the family, the burger joint that has THE perfect burger that always makes your mouth water, the restaurant with the ceiling mural that always makes you chuckle, the hole-in-the-wall hotel that's an artist's paradise covered wall to wall and floor to ceiling with oddities, the bookstore that's painted with local flavors and nostalgic characters, the little spa that's a hidden Narnia, the sub shop that makes a perfect mouth watering sub every time and always give you an extra piece of bacon "just because", the vintage book store that has the sweetest combination of musty, earthy goodness that meets your nostrils the moment you open the door. 

I've gotten to know many of our own small businesses here in Winston-Salem. Some as a patron and others because I've done branding and photography work for them. Their stories are unique, moving and really give you a sense of what our community stands for. 

There are no other places quite like these - and every city has its own versions. They flavor our communities, add diversity and add to our collective story with their own. They are the reason people from outside our community vacation and find fun here. They are the faces of our people. They are our story. They are our city's lifeblood.

Branding portrait for Robyn, a financial blogger, done at the Brookstown Camino Bakery location in Winston-Salem, NC | Winston-Salem Brand and Business Photographer