Startup from North Bay, Ont., launches shop local app, expands to new markets
A technology startup based in North Bay, Ont., wants to make it easier for people to shop local.One Red Maple started with an internet browser extension, which it launched in North
Bay in late 2020.With the user's permission, the extension sees what items they are searching for online and suggests alternatives from locally-owned businesses. They expanded to
Sudbury, Ont., in November, and Kingston in December, and also have a new app available on Android and iOS.Through the app, users can search for a particular item and One Red Maple
will give them options to purchase it from local stores.Supporting local businesses "Shopping local supports local business. Local businesses can then turn around and support the
community – through charity, volunteer work, jobs and taxes. It's a circular relationship and the foundation of strong communities," One Red Maple CEO Mark Sherry said in a press
release.Mike Savatovsky, the company's vice-president of community and growth, said they've had a lot of support from the downtown Sudbury Business Improvement Area (BIA). Although
it took a bit of convincing to get some business owners on board."I won't say who because I don't want to embarrass the owner but, you know, they were kind of skeptical and didn't
really want to talk to us," he said."And I begged them. I said, you know just, give me 30 seconds. I demonstrated it and literally the shop owner took her glasses off, stared me in
the face and said, 'Are you kidding me? How do I invest in this? This is unbelievable.'"Savatovsky said local businesses give back to their communities more than large corporations
like Amazon and Walmart.So far, he said more than 5,000 people have downloaded their mobile app. The company's ambition is to become a global solution to help people shop
local.As for how they make money, Savatovsky said it's all free for now, but they plan to eventually introduce a fee for businesses that would take advantage of extra features that
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