Any good places to start?

You're very welcome! Glad to be of some help.

Yes, that is one way about contacting them, but make sure you don't come off like a robot. Try to be personal with them and introduce a little about yourself. If you like the product/restaurant/service they offer at your community -- say so! A few genuine compliments can go a long way, but also include why you think a site/logo redesign would benefit their company.

If you're willing, take on a few local projects for free and build a portfolio based off your local projects only. When I first started contacting local business (in person and online), I got turned down several times. I decided that I would take on a few projects for the local business free-of-charge to build somewhat of a 'local reputation.' Now that I had these 3-5 local logo redesigns completed, other businesses were more willing to listen to what I had to say and if they weren't currently interested they had ensured me they would contact me when they were.

Hope that helps! Good luck!