Here for Charlotte's Small Businesses — and the People Who Love Them
Shop Local Queen City® started with a simple belief: when you shop local, you're doing something bigger than buying a candle or a piece of jewelry. You're keeping a dream alive, supporting a family, and investing in the community you call home.
Shopping Local is an Act of Community
Every dollar spent at a small business has an outsized impact. Studies show that locally owned businesses recirculate a significantly greater portion of their revenue back into the local economy compared to national chains.
What began as a small passion project has grown into Charlotte's go-to guide for all things local — from weekend markets to year-round online discovery. We're proud to be part of something that's bigger than any one business or any one event.
A Community that Keeps Growing
500+
SMALL BUSINESSES SUPPORTED
30+
LOCAL MARKETS PER YEAR
1
CHARLOTTE COMMUNITY
The Shop Local Story
In 2023, Katie Greder launched Shop Local Queen City® after noticing a gap between Charlotte's thriving small business community and the shoppers who wanted to support them but didn't know where to start.
Since then, Shop Local Queen City® has grown to five monthly market series at four different venues across Charlotte and Lake Norman, connecting hundreds of vendors with thousands of shoppers through our pop up experiences.
Meet the Shop Local Team
None of this would be possible without our dynamic admin duo and our dedicated team of market and event assistants.
KATIE GREDER
Owner and Founder
An entrepreneur since 2017, Katie took all of her side hustle experiences and used them to create the Shop Local Queen City vendors and shoppers know and love today. With an eye for customer experience and a passion for seeing vendors succeed, she personally curates each and every event.
CONNIE GREDER
Director of Operations
The queen of behind-the-scenes, Connie keeps our operations running smoothly and serves as our primary point of contact for customer service. If you've emailed us, chances are you've interacted with her!
