Cape Cod's only daily show, live from Mashpee on September 23, 2026. TODAY: Jen Villa, Love Live Local in Hyannis. THIS WEEK ON CAPE COD: Habitat Blitz Build house finished, Sept 25, Falmouth / Dolly Parton Day, Sept 25 / Love Local Fest, Sept 27, Aselton Park, Hyannis Two years ago today Jen Villa was named executive director of the organization she helped start in 2013. She sits down with Stephanie four days out from Love Local Fest, with about 100 Cape makers ready and a forecast that may not cooperate. This is the honest version of the shop local conversation: whether it is working, and what happens to a Main Street when nobody shows up. IN THIS EPISODE The Little Beach Gallery, and a buy local shirt printed before anyone used the phrase From a weekly email to a nonprofit: status came in 2020, right before the pandemic The Cape Cod Resilience Fund, and grants that went out when things looked bleak Announced here: a new Small Business Support Fund, with grants starting in 2027 Question of the day: one to ten, how often do you choose local? Is shop local winning? The phrase caught on, and so did the competition Shopping local counts as time, attention and intention, not only money The convenience myth: most local retailers sell online too The 10 percent shift, and the $112 million it would keep on Cape Road work and detours, with businesses reporting drops of 20 to 60 percent Watching a downtown disappear in Attleboro, and why the Cape cannot absorb that Advocating for small business while co-owning The West End in Hyannis Shop crawls: Osterville, Harwich Port, and Mashpee Commons on Nov 14 Succession, and the owners with nobody to hand the keys to LOVE LOCAL FEST AND THE WEATHER Sunday, Sept 27, 11 to 5, Aselton Park, Hyannis. Free, about 100 vendors, food trucks, sweets, live music and a beverage garden with Devil's Purse, Truro Vineyards and Cape Tide Hard Tea. There is no rain date, and as of this recording the team was weighing the forecast with the town of Barnstable. If it moves, the loss lands on vendors who spent three months making inventory, so watch Love Live Local and this show for the plan. STUDIES AND SURVEYS Love Live Local's research finds that shifting just 10 percent of Cape Cod spending from corporate and online to independent local businesses would keep an additional $112 million in the local economy every year. Not spending more. Spending differently. PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED Jen Villa of Love Live Local (lovelivelocal. com), co-founded in 2013 with Amanda Converse and Kate Sheehan. The West End, Hyannis. The Love Local Card and online directory, and the shop at 539 South Street, Hyannis. The Mashpee Chamber of Commerce (mashpeechamber. com), Mashpee Commons, CCYP, EforAll, Ashley Irene, White Lion Bakery, Atlantic Soap Company, Weir Pottery, Chippy Design, Events on Cape Cod (eventsoncape. com). MARK YOUR CALENDAR Fri Sept 25: Habitat Blitz Build house finished, behind the ReStore, Gifford St Ext, Falmouth Sun Sept 27, 11 to 5: Love Local Fest, Aselton Park, Hyannis. Free. Weather call pending Sun Sept 27: Mashpee Farmers Market Sat Nov 14: Love Live Local shop crawl at Mashpee Commons, locally owned businesses only November: the Love Live Local gift guide, expanding into a year round local catalog Sat Dec 5: December Love Local Fest, Hyannis Village Green HELP WANTED If the fest moves, share the vendor list and buy from those makers anyway. Love Live Local is adding part time help and looking for donors. QUOTABLE "It's not about survival. It's always about thriving." (Jen) "With any nonprofit, your goal is to have your mission not be needed anymore." (Jen) "Practice over perfection." (Jen) "It's like playing checkers with people's lives." (Stephanie, on succession) Catch every episode on YouTube, and now on Spotify too. Stephanie in the Morning. Every morning we ask and you answer, where locals take the mic. Powered by Lemonadio.
Jen Villa, Love Live Local (Hyannis) + Love Local Fest
