Small Business Saturday
I am writing this the day before Thanksgiving 2022. I am sitting on my best with my “work stuff” in front of me and my families Christmas lists next to me. Even before I was a local business owner I believed in shopping local.
One of the great things about our area is the plethora of locally owned and operated businesses. I love walking in to a business and knowing the owner is working that day. The employees appear to take a little more pride in their work and seem to get to know the customers. I love walking into a shop, restaurant or cafe and although the employee may not know my name, they remember me and in some cases even how I take my coffee (Hot and Black. Pretty simple but in this day and age coffee orders can be pretty complicated).
I hosted a dinner party a few weeks ago and the group I was standing with were asking about a project I had just finished. I told them where I bought the hardware and materials and they asked why I paid more than if I had gone to one of the Big BOX hardware stores. I explained that in the end by shopping at a locally owned hardware store I was keeping the money in the community. I was helping to pay for their daughter’s soccer team and their son’s class trip.
It is the locally owned businesses sponsoring the soccer teams and making contributions to the schools program for the class trip. Many of the local business owners give TWICE. They make a contribution as a business and again as an individual.
Top 10 Reasons to Buy Local, Eat Local, Go Local
By choosing local and independent businesses for your services, shopping, dining and other needs, you not only get real value and personal service, you’re helping:
1. BUILD COMMUNITY
The casual encounters you enjoy at neighborhood–scale businesses and the public spaces around them build relationships and community cohesiveness. (source 1, source 5) They’re the ultimate social networking sites!
2. STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY
Each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns 3 times more money (source 2) to our local economy than one spent at a chain — a benefit we all can bank on.
3. SHAPE OUR CHARACTER
Independent businesses help give our community its distinct personality.
4. CREATE A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT
Independent, community-serving businesses are people-sized. They typically consume less land, carry more locally-made products, locate closer to residents and create less traffic and air pollution. (source 3)
5. LOWER TAXES
More efficient land use and more central locations mean local businesses put less demand on our roads, sewers, and safety services. They also generate more tax revenue per sales dollar. The bottom line: a greater percentage of local independent businesses will help keep our taxes lower. (source 4)
6. ENHANCE CHOICES
A wide variety of independent businesses, each serving their customers’ tastes, creates greater overall choice for all of us.
7. CREATE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Not only do independent businesses employ more people directly per dollar of revenue, they also are the customers of local printers, accountants, wholesalers, farms, attorneys, etc., expanding opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
8. GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY
Small businesses donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits, events, and teams compared to big businesses. (source 5)
9. INCREASE WEALTH OF RESIDENTS
The multiplier effect noted above generates lasting impact on the prosperity of local residents. (source 6)
10.ENHANCE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS
Studies show strong correlation between the percentage of small locally-owned firms and various indicators of personal and community health and vitality. (source 7)
