Local commerce deserves better infrastructure

Every town already has the supply: the grower with too many tomatoes, the baker who sells out by ten, the woodworker with a garage full of cutting boards. What's missing is a shared place where that supply is visible, current, and actually purchasable.

What we're building

Find Local Merchants is a nationwide marketplace built around local realities — pickup windows, delivery zones, market days, and seasons. Merchants keep one storefront. Shoppers get one place to search. Market organizers get the tools to run their event instead of a spreadsheet.

How we think about trust

We don't issue badges, tiers, or certifications. Ranking sellers by a label we invented would just recreate the pay-to-win dynamic we're trying to avoid. Trust here comes from clear information, real reviews from real orders, and merchants speaking for themselves.

How we build

• Mobile first, because most local shopping decisions happen on a phone.
• Accessible by default — keyboard navigation, real labels, readable contrast.
• Auditable by design: money movement and moderation actions are logged.
• Shipped in phases, with each release usable on its own.

Where we are

Phase 0 is live. Accounts, roles, and the public shell of the site are in place. Storefronts, product listings, ordering, markets, and community features are next, rolling out region by region.