Last week, I went to a show at High Dive featuring two Florida-native bands: The Hails and Surfer Blood. This was not my first High Dive show, nor will it be my last. Not only is it a blast to hear great live music, but it’s also awesome to give your love and support to local businesses, especially the art and culture hubs around Gainesville.
For one, when you contribute to different Gainesville locales, those places support the community around them, too. Take the Surfer Blood show, for example. According to the venue’s Facebook page, using proceeds generated from ticket sales, High Dive and Surfer Blood were able to donate more than $1,500 to Grace Marketplace, located at 3055 NE 28th St., which offers substance abuse counseling, showers, shelter and storage for those who need it in the Gainesville area.
It makes my heart happy to see some of the profits taken from such a fun concert directed toward a cause that genuinely offers assistance and support. As a college student at UF, I think it can be tragically easy for us to minimize the broader Gainesville community and the needs of its members, especially those in neighborhoods with fewer resources. Supporting local businesses and charities, whether through monetary and material donations or volunteered time, helps nurture the town we all call home.
On that note, I think it’s intrinsically valuable to support spots around Gainesville — to support them simply for being native and organic to this community. Small businesses can thrive with the support of a large college fan base, particularly during the academic year. But it’s important to remember many of us leave town on breaks, short and long, and it can prove much more difficult for a mom and pop shop to stay afloat during those weeks than for a chain market.
Keeping this in mind, I believe we should emphasize visiting local restaurants while we’re in Gainesville — and, to be quite honest, I think the native places can be way better than the chains, anyway. Just look at The Top, Southern Charm Kitchen or Daily Green, some of my favorite restaurants in this area (and also of all time). They’re all within 10 minutes from my apartment, serve high-quality food with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options and have a strong love for the community. They even source ingredients from local farms and gardens, further demonstrating mutual respect and support time and time again.
Beyond restaurants, Gainesville boasts a diverse variety of gems ranging from locally owned bookstores and art kiosks to record stores, bars and music venues. A quick glance through upcoming Facebook events can quite honestly show you the world: Downtown is essentially a bounty of indie rock shows, rap battles, dance parties, wine tastings and poetry readings.
We should support the artists, musicians and hosts who put on these events by hearing, watching and buying their work. Putting out quality material demands time and resources, and the beauty they bring to this town feeds right back into the community when we help these innovators create more. Art beautifies our neighborhood and allows both artists and viewers to express and feel. It’s a win-win.
So next time you’re looking for a new study spot, a quick bite to eat or a place to browse and lounge for hours on end, think locally. Meet the people behind the counter. Buy a used book or a new piece of art just because you like it. Soak up what Gainesville has to offer — and give back in the process.
Mia Gettenberg is a UF criminology and philosophy senior. Her column appears on Mondays.
