EDITORIAL: Help sustain the power of local dollars

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, November 21, 2018

By now we’ve all grown familiar with Small Business Saturday, the initiative launched a few years ago to encourage consumers to support locally-owned retailers during the busy holiday shopping season.

The idea originated back in 2010, as many businesses struggled to get out of the red during the economic downturn. Small Business Saturday encourages shoppers to support locally-owned retailers as opposed to the traditional big box stores with the weight of Black Friday advertisements behind them. 

We can all get in on this effort by being mindful of how and where we shop this season. To keep this at the forefront of our thinking, the local Chamber is touting #shopsmallmilly and offering a chance to win Milly Money to spend locally while you shop this season. Be sure to check on the Chamber’s Facebook page for additional details throughout the week and remember to shop local this Saturday and throughout the holiday shopping season.

Sustaining our support for local businesses does wonders for the economy here at home, not to mention the added convenience. Chances are we don’t typically know the employees at the big box stores or malls when we frequent stores located out of town, but there’s often a very good chance we know the owners and employees of the local stores. Plus, local small business owners know their merchandise and are more familiar with the products they sell. When we shop local, it’s more likely that we’re dealing with a business owner who stands behind the products he or she sells and cares very much about pleasing customers in hopes that they return again and again throughout the year. Every sale made directly impacts their bottom line — both professionally and personally. 

When we shop small and do it frequently, we support the local economy. When we shop at chains, most of the money goes back to a corporate office somewhere else. Imagine what those dollars could do locally throughout the year. 

Imagine what economic power we could wield if we were more conscious of how and where we spend our dollars all year long. There’s power behind every dollar we spend. Choose wisely.