GUSTINE — Seven women-owned businesses across the Central Valley are joining forces under a new collaborative banner — The League of Extraordinary Women-Owned Businesses — to launch a monthlong “Shop Small, Summer Passport to Fun” event beginning July 1.
The promotion spans Turlock, Merced, Newman, Gustine and Los Banos, bringing together boutiques, bookstores, craft and stationery shops, and home‑goods stores. Organizers say the effort aims to strengthen the region’s independent retail community while giving shoppers a playful, interactive way to explore local businesses.
Customers can pick up a passport at any participating shop. Each small purchase earns a stamp, and shoppers who collect all seven stamps and return their completed passport to the store where they began by July 31 will be entered into a grand prize drawing. Each business is contributing a curated prize, offering multiple chances to win.
“As women business owners, we realized early on that we are stronger together than we are apart,” said Marie Hall, owner of Scrawl, Scribble & Smirch Bookshop in Gustine. “This passport event is a fun, engaging way to introduce our customers to other incredible local shops they might not have discovered yet, while directly supporting each other’s growth.”
Participating businesses include Ida e Volta in Newman; Needful Things and Paper Moon in Turlock; Second Time Around in Merced; Scrawl, Scribble & Smirch Bookshop in Gustine; and Fleur de Lis and My Hippie Soul in Los Banos. Together, the group represents a wide slice of the Valley’s independent retail scene — from clothing and gifts to books, stationery and handmade goods.
Organizers say the collaboration grew from a shared desire to support one another in a challenging retail climate. By encouraging cross‑shopping, they hope to introduce customers to stores they may not have visited before and highlight the economic impact of keeping purchases local.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to spend July exploring the participating shops, discovering new favorites and supporting the women entrepreneurs behind them. Passports, store locations and prize previews are available in-store and on participating businesses’ social media pages.
