Heidy Kellison

While recovering from surgery to treat a rare medical condition, former Capitol staffer Heidy Kellison dreamt of a new endeavor to combine two of her passions: writing and shopping locally. She launched DowntownNorCal.com, a website that showcases clothing boutiques, restaurants and other brick and mortar businesses in cities and towns across northern California. The idea came to her at the right time. Last December, she was bedridden following surgery to remove Tarlov cysts, fluid-filled sacs that affect nerve roots at the base of the spine. Kellison, who was already living with muscular dystrophy, was diagnosed with the disease after suffering from severe back pain. Kellison was a competitive ballroom dancer at the time, and she just thought the pain might be from a herniated disc. “One day, I tried to stand up and I couldn’t move,” Kellison explained. “I knew something was wrong.” While in recovery mode this past March, she told her husband, lobbyist Peter Kellison of Clear Advocacy LLC, about her vision for the website and he jumped on board to get it going. “So, we went to lunch in Winters that day and my first feature was a restaurant out there,” she said. They dined at Yolo Traders Bistro and Kellison wrote a post about their meals, wine and the ambiance. Since then, she’s written about clothing shops in Capitola, eateries in Sacramento, and a home décor/specialty gift shop in Woodland. Meeting store owners and discovering all they have to offer has been a joyful experience for Kellison. “Small business owners are so welcoming and interesting to talk to, and their offerings are so unique,” she said. Kellison says she’s been a supporter of local boutiques for years and hardly ever shops for clothing or accessories online. “I don’t shop Amazon at all,” she said, allowing her to avoid the disappointment of opening a big box of clothes or other items and have none of it work for her. “For me, I want to touch and feel and see the products I bring into my home.” Along with the website, Kellison also shares details about her visits on Facebook and Instagram and sends out an email once a month with her latest newsletter (sign up form is on the bottom of her website). She says sometimes her husband will lend a hand by helping her snap photos. “He’s my camera man,” she said. “Peter’s father was a special effects artist in Hollywood and I joke with him, ‘you’re a camera man just like your dad.'” Kellison’s Capitol career included working in the offices of former Sens. Dan McCorquodale and Hilda Solis. She also previously spent 10 years writing the “Personal Shopper” column for the Davis Enterprise from 2008-2018. She’s excited about this new venture and making money on it isn’t her goal. Rather she aims to encourage people to shop and dine in their community. “Small business owners really need our help, they create the culture in our communities and provide jobs and tax revenues, and people shouldn’t take them for granted,” Kellison said. Contact: Kellison, heidy@cwo.com.