My family loves our small town living lifestyle. The pace is a little slower, the traffic a little lighter, and the community is tight knit. One way I can support my neighbors is by shopping locally-owned stores and buying locally-made products. You can join the fun, too, when you shop a small business on Small Business Saturday, November 24.
One of the benefits of small town living is that it’s easy for you get to know local business owners. My son’s teacher also runs one of our favorite local restaurants! The students who are lucky enough to be in his class love getting rewards such as coupons for a free meal. It has really motivated my son to do his homework every night. It’s fun for us to see his teacher when we go out to eat at his place and my children learn about how small business owners enjoy our support when we shop at their stores and eat in their restaurants.
A few months ago, my family moved and we needed to buy a few crucial items for our home that included mattresses and small appliances. We could have shopped at a big box store, but we did not because we are in the habit of buying from locally-owned businesses. My husband and I both think it is important to keep the local economy growing!
Long story short, we purchased the items from a very helpful saleswoman in a locally owned store. Later that week when our items were delivered, both of us were pleasantly surprised to see each other again…we only live a few houses away from each other! It’s a small world when you live in a small town, and I love it that way. My new friend thanked me again for shopping at her store instead of a larger chain because it helps her family stay in business. And I appreciate knowing I can turn to my new neighbor for advice and help with the items I purchase from them. I hope other people see the value in shopping small businesses and support them, too.
The personal relationships we form with our neighbors who own small businesses are just one of the many great things I like about shopping local. I am very inspired by the people who take their ideas and passion for something they love and turn it into a small business. I want to support that any way that I can, which is why my family shops small when possible. It’s good for my local community and economy, which is especially crucial at times like these when our country’s economy is on the decline.
How You Can Support Small Business Saturday
Mark your calendars for Small Business Saturday, November 24
Find a list of PLACES TO SHOP SMALL.
Show your support on Twitter when you tweet using hashtag #SmallBizSat
What small businesses do you like to support? Please feel free to give your favorite small businesses a shout out in the comments section.
Are you a small business owner? Leave the link to your website in the comments (family-friendly websites only, please).
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for American Express. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.
