To incentivize residents to shop locally, the program allows consumers to earn rewards when shopping at local small businesses which must be independently owned with fewer than 500 employees, located in San Joaquin County, and operating in the food-and-beverage, hospitality, or retail industries. Businesses cannot be part of a corporate chain and must have been established as of January 1, 2020. There are no requirements for local businesses to be in the program.

Lodi is currently experiencing near-triple digit temperatures, but the Downtown Business Association already has the holiday season on its mind. President David Claxton laid out the association’s plan to turn downtown into a winter wonderland in December during the Lodi City Council’s Wednesday meeting.

“This year the DBA board, we decided we would make it our mission to bring more life to downtown during the holiday season,” he said. “We want to ‘Hallmark’ downtown and make it a destination for holiday shopping, gathering and dining.”

The Lodi Certified Farmers Market is held on Thursday evenings, May 16th to September 5th. Under the leadership of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, Lodi's beloved summer tradition is frequented by countless visitors who stroll our vendor-filled streets. Enjoy the best local produce, cheese, and meat vendors California has to offer. Residents and visitors can also grab a bite, order a drink, meet up with friends, or make new ones in Downtown Lodi's laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere.

Luis Aguilar joined the City of Lodi as the new Economic Development Director in February and has hit the ground running!! Luis joins us from the City of Elk Grove where he successfully led numerous initiatives and programs to drive economic development. With over ten years of experience in the field, both at the regional and local levels, Luis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

About a dozen City of Lodi staffers and members of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce paid visits to several small downtown businesses Tuesday to let them know the city was “open for business.”

This week is Small Business Appreciation Week, and economic development director Luis Aguilar thought it was the perfect time to visit the retailers, restaurants, salons and offices that call Downtown Lodi home.