Picking Main Street Over Mall Street

Big things come in small packages. Going small can make a big difference where you live when it comes to holiday shopping. The ripples of investing in local small businesses can…

Big things come in small packages. Going small can make a big difference where you live when it comes to holiday shopping. The ripples of investing in local small businesses can swell into large waves of benefit that buoy the health of an overall community. Here’s a look at just a few of the wide-ranging perks of staying local.

 

You Matter as a Customer

Every customer counts for an independent business. Your patronage matters and is going to be valued. Plus, because the staff is likely to be personally invested in the products and services of the business, they are going to be more informed and knowledgeable so you will receive more individualized service and attention to detail. Going the extra mile for the customer is just standard operating procedure.

 

Local Money Stays Local

Most estimates indicate that for every $100 spent at a local business, at least $68 will remain in the community. That’s a significant increase from the $43 that would stay local from a national chain. Although wages, taxes and donations would stay local from both types of businesses, independent shop owners also tend to keep services like accounting and marketing in the local economy.

 

Supporting Entrepreneurship

Ingenuity and innovation are the cornerstones of the American economy. Supporting local business is an intentional act of nurturing your neighbors who are taking risks to invest in your hometown. The pandemic shook the economic foundations of communities everywhere, and those aftershocks are still being felt. Your continued dedication to small business is helping to shore up the local economy.

 

Spreading the Wealth

By some statistics, small businesses donate 250% more than larger businesses to local nonprofits and causes. According to one survey of small businesses, 66% give to local charities, 48% support local youth organizations, 42% donate to local first responders, 39% support local religious organizations, 37% aid local service groups and 32% donate food or volunteer in local soup kitchens.

 

Keep Your Community Unique

One-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinct character of a location. It’s what makes a community a destination and attracts more guests and visitors. Local stores give a community an individuality that can’t be found or replicated anywhere else. Shopping at local businesses not only supports that concept, but it also helps encourage it to bloom.