Recently I have spent most of my time blogging the benefits of buying American made products - today I am going to spend a little time on something that is just as important to your local communities - Shopping LOCAL. When I use the term "shop local" I am not talking about running down to your local Wal-mart and do your shopping. When I say "shop local" - I am talking about the individually owned shops around your town. How will this little bit of time and effort on your part benefit you and your community? - Well it starts by keeping more of your spending dollars in your immediate communities. More $$$ in town means more jobs in town right?
With Mother's Day upon us - I am truly disturbed by all the 1-800 numbers being advertised all over the internet and the television to order good old mom her spring bouquet. - When a person picks up the phone or goes online to order their flowers - they are a middle man taking a cut of the money and having your local florist doing the work and getting paid less. Why not just call your local florist directly and get a custom arrangement unlike all the 1,000s of ones being ordered by a picture online. Shouldn't your local florist get to know you and what your budget and tastes are like? Wouldn't it be nice to have relationship with someone in town who is there for you for special occasions?
I have always used a local florist - always. When I had my children - they sent me a stuffed animal to say congrats - when Christmas came around I was surprised with a card and a poinsettia - when my husband passed - they were there to hold my hand and the flowers were as special as anything you could imagine.
Knowing that hundreds of thousands of people out there are missing out on a relationship like that saddens me.
The average consumer is lost when it comes to communicating their needs with these hard working individually owned businesses - they are used to buying chain store prewrapped gifts that they forget that they call call these locally owned shops and get better gifts and service for the same price. And the gift means more when it doesn't have a Wal-mart sticker on the shrink wrap.
Beauty shops are especially good at putting together special gifts and most offer gift certificates - also keeping money in your community. Also tell your local beauty shop what hair spray you use - or how much you want to spend on beauty products and let them fill your needs instead of the big box chains that are sending you money out of town. These people will accomidate your needs - they want to - and your local community will thrive.
So to sum it up - using your local businesses - keeps money in your community, creates new jobs, better customer service, spices things up with unique products and added diversity, keeps character downtown with local storefronts, and the most valuable thing that cannot be bought - YOU will be bringing you community closer together as well as making friends that you can invite to your annual Christmas party - instead of emailing thanks yous to all those online stores.
By the way - when is the last time you got a invitation to a get together from Wal-mart or 1-800-Flowers? I must have missed mine - (never)
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