The holiday season is upon us, and with it, the opportunity to shop small at local businesses here in Pampa.
But what are the benefits of shopping small? And why should we put shopping local on our holiday to-do lists? Below are some of the top reasons:
The benefits of shopping small:
• Helps keeps money in Pampa. Here’s an interesting fact about shopping small: When you spend $100 at a local business, $68 of it stays in Pampa. Spend $100 at a big-box retailer, and only $48 stays in our local economy. Those dollars add up. Whether you’re purchasing unique holiday gifts or household basics, money spent at our locally owned stores generates 3.5 times more wealth than shopping at large national chains.
• You’ll find unique items (especially gifts!). Speaking of unique gifts, local businesses truly shine when it comes to holiday shopping. I don’t know how they do it, but small shops somehow always manage to find unusual gifts friends and family love. Even better? When recipients unwrap your incredibly unique gifts, you can proudly declare you found them at a locally owned small business in Pampa.
• It fosters a sense of community. The more you shop local, the more you’ll get to know your local merchants — and they’ll get to know you. There’s something nice about walking into a store where people greet you by name (not to mention provide exceptional service). Shopping small really does make you feel like part of the community. It’s something a big-box store, or online shopping, just can’t offer.
• You’ll help keep your neighbors employed. Choosing to shop at a neighborhood store, during the holiday season and beyond, not only keeps local small businesses open, it helps all those workers stay employed. That’s definitely something to celebrate.
• You’ll keep local businesses thriving. It’s a simple premise but one that we often forget: Spending money at local small businesses keeps them in business. Small businesses can’t survive, or thrive, without your support.
There’s no shortage of reasons to shop small
And the more you do it, the more likely you are to inspire others to shop local, too. If you don’t already support local small businesses, this holiday season is a great time to start
