We’re excited to introduce CommunityFOLK—a new digital FOLKLIFE space that highlights the kinds of businesses we want to see thrive: small, independent, values-aligned, and rooted in community.
As FOLKLIFE expands into a larger digital space, our goal is to become a hub for slow, west coast living for locals, readers, and visitors alike. This includes a thoughtfully curated section for shops, artists, service providers, accommodations, and businesses across the west coast who want to be discovered by the kind of people who care about where their money goes—and who they’re supporting when they spend it.
If you’re a regular reader or a first-time visitor, this is your chance to get to know the stories behind the businesses. At FOLKLIFE, we’re all about getting to know the faces behind the storefronts and the people shaping the culture of our coast.
For Businesses — Thoughtful visibility, built to last
If you run a business—especially if you’re intentional, earthy, local, inclusive, diverse, mindful, or community-minded—CommunityFOLK was built with you in mind.
We know many small businesses don’t have a big advertising budget or a marketing team. And maybe print wasn’t the right fit, or not in the budget. CommunityFOLK is a lower-cost option with the same values and care that FOLKLIFE brings to everything we do.
“I’m so excited to be able to focus on and offer a beautiful online hub for members with like-minded businesses at the affordable rate of $100 a month to get the word out about their amazing offerings,” says FOLKLIFE founder Alina Cerminara.
“We know not everyone has the budget for print, and for just $100/month, we hope this suits a lot of our local favourite businesses. We’re looking forward to the first year of our new website and having you alongside us to grow together.”
What You Get
Each CommunityFOLK profile includes:
- A short story-style write-up crafted by our team
- Your featured images of your space, product, or team (we’ll guide you)
- Your location shown on an interactive map
- An optional video, if you’d like to include one
- Contact details, website, and hours
- A direct link to your site that our readers can click anytime
- Easy to understand stats on views and clicks
You’ll also have the chance to share your “why”—how your business began, what drives you, and what you hope people take away when they interact with what you’ve built.
Check out the profile for WOODS on Pender to see what yours will look like.
How It Works
We offer 3-, 6-, and 12-month packages, starting at $100/month or $1,200/year. If you book a whole year, use the code THANKS at checkout for one month free, $100 off.
You can reserve your spot anytime here. Once you’ve signed up, we’ll be in touch to gather a few things from you:
- A short intake form
- A few images (yourself, your product or space, etc.)
- Conversation or written expression in your words, about your story
- Anything outside of your website copy that you’d like us to know
We’ll write and design your profile and send it to you for review. Once approved, your profile will go live the following month.
As the site grows, CommunityFOLK will serve as a long-term discovery hub—one that puts your story in front of people who care.
A Reader-Focussed Experience
For our readers, this is a new way to find and support businesses that reflect your values. Many of the shops, farms, artists, accommodations, and services featured in CommunityFOLK aren’t driven by SEO or social ads. They’re discovered through word of mouth, local connection, or quiet intention.
We aim to provide a platform where these businesses can be discovered. If you love FOLKLIFE, chances are you’ll love the businesses we’re featuring, too.
Thank you for supporting our work—through your subscriptions, your messages, and your trust. CommunityFOLK is another way we can help each other, tell better stories, and make the digital space feel a little more human.
Ready to join us? Explore CommunityFOLK here.
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