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On The Bricks

December 22, 2017

Your choices can make a difference to a lot of people. If you choose locally owned businesses for your shopping, you are supporting the people who support the schools your children and grandchildren are in, the programs that are set up for you and your friends and family. You are also helping to make paychecks for friends and neighbors of yours and supporting local banks and their employees.

It goes on and on, does this ripple effect. The taxes paid locally pay for the water and streets that you use, not that someone else uses. So, if you like to spend your money in other towns, don’t be complaining about your hometown streets or water system. You’re part of that problem.

But rather than be negative, let’s talk about the positive things that happen when you shop locally.

You benefit from expertise if you go in the store, rather than shopping online. And you hear the advice from people you can go back to. There is a face moisturizer that is wonderful with my very sensitive and very old skin. Paige at Beauty and the Beast special orders it for me … and not only that, she special orders it so that she has it there BEFORE I run out. When I walk in the door, she already has it on the counter by the time I get there. That’s customer service.

That’s shopping local. You can save time and get the right thing by relying on the local retailer.

You connect with the community.

Shopping locally means bumping into friends, enjoying lively conversations in the store, and trading neighborhood news with the people behind the counter. Local businesses make communities work.

You strengthen our local economy.

One study says that compared to Amazon, independent retailers create twice as many jobs for the same amount of revenue. Local retailers hire local people, pay local taxes, and source goods locally. When you shop local, you expand opportunities where you live.

You cast a vote for the American Dream.

Starting a small business has long been a pathway to the middle class. By supporting local entrepreneurs, you invest in a future that works for all of us.

Places with more small businesses have less income inequality, which means your community does better for its citizens.

In places with more local businesses, people have stronger social ties and participate more in civic affairs.

So, where do you choose to invest your dollars?

Be honest.

You aren’t going to be held accountable to anyone but yourself, so don’t let me or anyone else make you feel guilty where you spend the money that you worked hard to earn. But ponder it and be honest with yourself.

And I’ll see you on the bricks!