Articles

First off, we would LOVE to thank you for stopping by our blog! This little beauty (along with the website) has been in the making for little over a year now and it’s our dream come true to finally be able to share it with you! ☺

You now might be wondering why on earth we would dedicate an entire year of our lives to American made stuff. Well, simply put, we did because it matters. We live in a small town that is heavy into manufacturing and over the years we’ve witnessed job cuts after jobs cuts. Larger companies that have set up shop here initially invest in our community only to turn around and downsize in our town so that they can move their production elsewhere. While it might sound like a good business maneuver, it affects people. Lots of good people we know have lost their jobs and are back at square one.

After witnessing these changes in our hometown and growing tired of seeing the “Made in China” stamp on so many products we faithfully bought (at expensive prices might I add), my brother grew curious if anything was even made in America anymore. Each time that he found an American made product we would celebrate a little (usually like dorks with high-fives or thumbs up) and he would post a picture on Instagram. Before we knew it, his @americanretail account had 100…500…1,000 (and growing) followers and we had collected an awesome list of American made companies! Thus American Retail was born! For us, the main goals of American Retail (website, blog, and social media accounts) are: (A) to raise awareness about why buying American made products is important, (B) help spread the word about AWESOME companies (big or small) that domestically produce their goods and (C) to help make shopping American a little easier by lumping all these great brands into one place so you can browse and shop while knowing that everything you see was made in the USA! If we can help even just one person be more conscious about where the things they buy come from or help spread the word about just one American made company, then all of this effort will be considered a win!

This blog is the more personal platform for us to share tips, facts, and other ramblings with all of you! Think of it as going out to eat with a good friend and conversing about your day. What you found to be interesting, the cool things you bought on your last shopping trip, giving friendly advice or even a little word of encouragement. That’s the kind of communication we want to build with all of you!

Speaking of a more personal note, we are a brother sister duo from central Illinois. We were both home-schooled from kindergarten through high school until college where we attended the University of Illinois to earn our respective bachelor’s degrees. As much as we love traveling (especially to an ocean somewhere), the Midwest will always feel like home. We jumped into piles of leaves and built snowmen here. Our family is here and we feel a sense of pride to live in this town no matter how tiny it may seem at times.

In his down time, my brother Adam (founder and CEO), enjoys being active (biking, running, swimming, etc), playing video games, spending time with family and friends, traveling and listening to music (even classical – still don’t get that one but to each his own). Me, on the other hand, I enjoy shopping (shocker), eating ice cream, hanging with friends and family, traveling, and doing anything that involves animals! We’re a crazy duo that’s for sure lol. Even though we’re brother and sister and of course have spent so much time together over the years, we’ve never fought once. To be honest, my brother is my best friend and I can’t imagine anyone else that I would rather be sharing this exciting journey with!

Speaking of the future, be sure to stay in touch with us here on the blog and also on social media for new posts! Until next time, thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day! :)

~Amanda