In room A10 of the Academy Building, GirlUp holds its meetings where they host events in advocacy of Gender Equality. To fund these events, skills with baking, ceramics, candle crafting, cooking, crocheting/knitting, drawing, painting, and jewelry making are all involved.
To further extend this initiative, GirlUp at MHHS hosted its Buy Women Owned campaign (with the #BuyWomenOwned), in which these female-owned small businesses in Morris County are supported to “make conscious consumer choices that benefit our local economy.” They are listed on a Google Document.
In Food & Hospitality, there is The Artist Baker at 16 Cattano Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960. It is owned by Andrea Lekberg. Tavern off the Green is located at 127 Morris St, Morristown, NJ 07960 and owned by Sisters Jamie and Michele Moore. Mo’pweeze Bakery is located at 51 Hibernia Ave, Rockaway, NJ 07866 and is owned by Christine Allen.
Missy’s Main Street Cafe is known to be a “Breakfast and lunch spot serving pancakes, burgers, wraps and other staples in a casual setting.” It is located at 181 E Main St, Rockaway, NJ 07866 and is owned by Missy Addison. Bubble in Paradise is a “relaxed, welcoming hangout for bubble tea (including taro, Thai and matcha) plus smoothies and shaved ice). It is stationed at 38 Broadway, Denville, NJ 07834 and owned by Doris Wu-Chang and David Chang. The Spot Café is a “coffee shop offering a range of caffeinated beverages including cold brew, espresso drinks and chai lattes, as well as pastries” at 500 NJ-10, Randolph, NJ 07869 and is owned by Klaudia and Kevin DeSiena.
In the Retail and Boutiques category, the Feasty Vegan is located at 62b South St, Morristown, NJ 07960 and owned by Kendra Arnold. Merzatta Design is a “jeweler specializing in handmade pieces made of gold, silver, and other materials” at 4 Cattano Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960 and owned by Danielle Merzatta. 23 South Boutique is at 23 South St, Morristown, NJ 07960 and owned by Marilyn and Barry Goffin. Sisters Boutique is at 23 Broadway, Denville, NJ 07834 and owned by sisters Meg Olenowski and Cait Olenowski.
In the Services category, the following are owned by mother-daughter duos. Skin to Smile is at 2 Morris Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960 and owned by Dr. Marina Gonchar and Mila Davis. Salone Pisani is another service at 9 Washington St, Morristown, NJ 07960 owned by Caterina and her mother Liz.
Members of GirlUp were tasked with creating posts to support these various women-owned small businesses, often by creating posters online. The first post for GirlUp is for Sisters Boutique. Posters often feature the hashtag #BuyWomenOwned and “Girl Up MHHS Presents . . ..” They include information where the store is located, who the store is owned by, and why people should decide to go visit and possibly purchase goods from there. This last job can usually be done after looking at the goods that this store sells.
Hopefully after reading this article, you will be able to create posters reflecting why you should buy from several women-owned stores in support of them.