I love local stuff. It's actually becoming an obsession of mine. So much, in fact, that's what I wrote my final project for Playwriting class over. The thing is is that small, local businesses are just fascinating to me. And immensely helpful to the economy. Don't believe me? Watch this video! I know what you're thinking. "Mary, that was more about the importance of good immigration rights/laws." Well, yeah, true. BUT! It also speaks to the importance of small businesses. Let's discuss it!
I live in a small town. Like a town of about 800 people. Like all small towns, its heyday seems to have come and gone around the same time highways became a thing. On Main Street stands rows of vacant, disintegrating buildings that once were filled with vendors and their consumers. Now, the stories of what once was. Businesses have tried and tried to make it work in one of the only buildings not flowing with a chorus of termites. Recently, however (like a couple of years ago), a store called The General Store opened with healthy hours to cater to the Conservative area around them. I am happy to announce it's doing wonderfully as a baked goods and craft shop (housing some of my mother's paintings, in fact). But no doubt it took a while for it to take off. See, you'd think living in a small town, people would be talking all over the place about the shop that just opened downtown. However, it seems to be the opposite a lot of the times. We tend to be very "this is where I go and how I go every time I come," which makes it difficult for local businesses, for their shop is never noticed. We tend to know exactly where we shop and we must not stray from that safe path of safe-ness. But someone did! Woo!
Over Thanksgiving break, last semester, I had a discussion with my aunt on the importance of buying local. She thought buying local meant buying from the commercial businesses in your local area. Although that does make sense, I thought I'd shed some light for some of you who maybe aren't quite sure what it means to "buy local" or "invest in small businesses." You ever see It's a Wonderful Life? First of all, if you haven't, stop reading this and watch it now here. Second, you know The Building and Loan? Or Mr Gower's Drug Store? Those happen to be local businesses. You know in the spring time when your town has that Farmer's Market? That is a result of all of the local farmers (or crafters, or bakers, or cupcake lady on Market Street with a different kind of cupcake each week and they're always to die for forever and always). My mom and I LOVE going to the Farmer's Market in the Spring/Fall/Summer! There is a pizza place on the Greene in Stradford Connecticut that hasn't changed a thing since they opened and they make the best Greek salad! The owners are amazing people.
Places like that is what it means to invest in local businesses. It's awesome!
You know what you're getting when you buy local. Almost exactly. See, I tend to trust a lot of things and people because I feel like no one means to be malicious and everyone truly has a purpose for doing everything. That said, I tend not to trust what places like WalMart try to sell me. Every time I buy something from a big, commercial place, I ask myself loads of questions. Questions like "was this made in humane conditions?" "How many forests died for this?" "How much dye was thrown into the ocean for this?" "Are these truly good materials?" "What is this ingrediant, jfdksfjdsbjsitane?" I could go on forever asking these questions.
Now, I'm not saying going to WalMart and giving their employees some job security is a bad thing. Speaking as someone who lives in an area with limited resources for "buying local" during the off season, I know sometimes it comes as a necessity to shop commercial. And, as I said, it gives those amazing employees who work so hard some job security.
Anywho! Our list of reasons why buying local is amazing!
The food you buy locally is actually the best tasting food out there! I'm lucky and have grown up in a home where we have more home cooked meals than microwave dinners and dining out meals. I will forever pick the home cooked meals. Some of you guys may not get that. I understand. That's why buying local is amazing. Everything is treated with so much care and they treat the way they handle their things like they were giving it to their family. It's less about money and more about showing the folks around them how they like things. Awesome, right?
Also! It's a great way to get to know your community! Everyone can point out the McDonald's on the highway, but only the locals know where that amazing tea shop around the corner is. And in doing that, we can get to know out-of-towners. We can show 'em a good time with high-quality stuff! Speaking of!
More times than not, the stuff you get buying local will last longer and hold this special place in your heart. Truthfully. Because, no matter what it might be, you bet they spend time making the things the best they can be. Generally, the things the local place is selling is something the owners are passionate about, and they want to make sure you get the best stuff out there! Pretty cool, right?
Also, you know exactly where your money is going. Which is always useful. Sometimes I buy things and, because I, personally, don't spend my time researching what that company supports and how they get that product on the shelf. However, when you buy local, you know it came right from someone's home, or right in the back kitchen. Or right from their back yard.
Small businesses also support the same community you seek to support! Cool, right? Yeah! Outside of their business, they are also humans that enjoy the kids at the community theater, and volunteers for their church, and beautifies the community, and checks out the local museums, and finds different ways to spend their Friday nights rather than going through the drive-thru at Burger King.
Of course, in this very commercial world we live in, sometimes a quiet night in with your guilty pleasure of that Strawberry Cheesecake Blizzard from Dairy Queen is just what the doctor ordered. And, actually, commercial businesses have opened our eyes and totally shaped they way we look through the world. However, it is very important not to forget those amazing local businesses that give you the absolute best, every time; and if they don't, you bet they'll change it so that the next time, it will be through the roof with awesomeness! Buy local. Invest small. Support your growing community. For, when you do so, you may be helping the change you want to see in your community.
Woo!
Mary Taylor
Here's an infograph!
I live in a small town. Like a town of about 800 people. Like all small towns, its heyday seems to have come and gone around the same time highways became a thing. On Main Street stands rows of vacant, disintegrating buildings that once were filled with vendors and their consumers. Now, the stories of what once was. Businesses have tried and tried to make it work in one of the only buildings not flowing with a chorus of termites. Recently, however (like a couple of years ago), a store called The General Store opened with healthy hours to cater to the Conservative area around them. I am happy to announce it's doing wonderfully as a baked goods and craft shop (housing some of my mother's paintings, in fact). But no doubt it took a while for it to take off. See, you'd think living in a small town, people would be talking all over the place about the shop that just opened downtown. However, it seems to be the opposite a lot of the times. We tend to be very "this is where I go and how I go every time I come," which makes it difficult for local businesses, for their shop is never noticed. We tend to know exactly where we shop and we must not stray from that safe path of safe-ness. But someone did! Woo!
Over Thanksgiving break, last semester, I had a discussion with my aunt on the importance of buying local. She thought buying local meant buying from the commercial businesses in your local area. Although that does make sense, I thought I'd shed some light for some of you who maybe aren't quite sure what it means to "buy local" or "invest in small businesses." You ever see It's a Wonderful Life? First of all, if you haven't, stop reading this and watch it now here. Second, you know The Building and Loan? Or Mr Gower's Drug Store? Those happen to be local businesses. You know in the spring time when your town has that Farmer's Market? That is a result of all of the local farmers (or crafters, or bakers, or cupcake lady on Market Street with a different kind of cupcake each week and they're always to die for forever and always). My mom and I LOVE going to the Farmer's Market in the Spring/Fall/Summer! There is a pizza place on the Greene in Stradford Connecticut that hasn't changed a thing since they opened and they make the best Greek salad! The owners are amazing people.
Places like that is what it means to invest in local businesses. It's awesome!
You know what you're getting when you buy local. Almost exactly. See, I tend to trust a lot of things and people because I feel like no one means to be malicious and everyone truly has a purpose for doing everything. That said, I tend not to trust what places like WalMart try to sell me. Every time I buy something from a big, commercial place, I ask myself loads of questions. Questions like "was this made in humane conditions?" "How many forests died for this?" "How much dye was thrown into the ocean for this?" "Are these truly good materials?" "What is this ingrediant, jfdksfjdsbjsitane?" I could go on forever asking these questions.
Now, I'm not saying going to WalMart and giving their employees some job security is a bad thing. Speaking as someone who lives in an area with limited resources for "buying local" during the off season, I know sometimes it comes as a necessity to shop commercial. And, as I said, it gives those amazing employees who work so hard some job security.
Anywho! Our list of reasons why buying local is amazing!
The food you buy locally is actually the best tasting food out there! I'm lucky and have grown up in a home where we have more home cooked meals than microwave dinners and dining out meals. I will forever pick the home cooked meals. Some of you guys may not get that. I understand. That's why buying local is amazing. Everything is treated with so much care and they treat the way they handle their things like they were giving it to their family. It's less about money and more about showing the folks around them how they like things. Awesome, right?
Also! It's a great way to get to know your community! Everyone can point out the McDonald's on the highway, but only the locals know where that amazing tea shop around the corner is. And in doing that, we can get to know out-of-towners. We can show 'em a good time with high-quality stuff! Speaking of!
More times than not, the stuff you get buying local will last longer and hold this special place in your heart. Truthfully. Because, no matter what it might be, you bet they spend time making the things the best they can be. Generally, the things the local place is selling is something the owners are passionate about, and they want to make sure you get the best stuff out there! Pretty cool, right?
Also, you know exactly where your money is going. Which is always useful. Sometimes I buy things and, because I, personally, don't spend my time researching what that company supports and how they get that product on the shelf. However, when you buy local, you know it came right from someone's home, or right in the back kitchen. Or right from their back yard.
Small businesses also support the same community you seek to support! Cool, right? Yeah! Outside of their business, they are also humans that enjoy the kids at the community theater, and volunteers for their church, and beautifies the community, and checks out the local museums, and finds different ways to spend their Friday nights rather than going through the drive-thru at Burger King.
Of course, in this very commercial world we live in, sometimes a quiet night in with your guilty pleasure of that Strawberry Cheesecake Blizzard from Dairy Queen is just what the doctor ordered. And, actually, commercial businesses have opened our eyes and totally shaped they way we look through the world. However, it is very important not to forget those amazing local businesses that give you the absolute best, every time; and if they don't, you bet they'll change it so that the next time, it will be through the roof with awesomeness! Buy local. Invest small. Support your growing community. For, when you do so, you may be helping the change you want to see in your community.
Woo!
Mary Taylor
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