To reach the creators of Townsy, email laura@townsyapp.com or call 707-322-8696.
About Townsy
Townsy gives you the inside scoop on what’s happening in your hometown – from what’s new in local politics to what’s new at the corner boutique, the downtown diner, the local art gallery and even the local church.
But Townsy has a deeper purpose: Our mission is to save community newspapers by strengthening the small town local businesses and communities on which they depend.
Community newspapers are the guardians of democracy at the local level, and they are shutting down all across this country, starved of advertising revenue by local businesses, who in turn have been starved of revenue by the rise of e-commerce — 50% of which goes to one company: Amazon.com.
It’s time to bring that money home. That’s what Townsy does. Townsy offers ecommerce tools for local businesses so local customers can buy online from their favorite local stores, keeping the money in the community.
Townsy also profit shares with the local newspaper in exchange for making the news available to everyone for free. This leads to a more informed citizenry and a stronger community. It’s a win for everyone involved.
Townsy was developed by longtime journalist and web designer Laura Hagar Rush in Sonoma County, California. Until June 2020, Rush was editor of Sonoma West Times & News, a 130-year-old newspaper serving the town of Sebastopol and western Sonoma County.
Got comments about the app?
Townsy is a work in progress and you can help us make it better. Let us know if something is not working (or if it’s working but just clunky).
And let us know about what we’re missing. Our goal is to put everything in your town at your fingertips. Restaurants, Services, and Local Music & Art coming soon. If you can think of something we’re missing, tell us.
Just email laura@townsyapp.com or call 707-322-8696.