In his latest submission for our pages, My Two Cents columnist Bruce Hardina adroitly states the case for buying local.
In our opinion, it is a compelling case, not just now during the Season of Giving, but all year round.
Study after study shows that money spent in a community generally benefits that community. Suffice it to say, local businesses employ local people, who generally spend their paychecks supporting other local businesses though the purchases of goods and services like gas and food.
In the same manner that a rising tide lifts all boats, money spent at a local business generally comes back to benefit the community.
In the short term of course, you might be able to find a better price from a bigger business, a box store, say. There is no way a business like or Renys or Ames Supply is going to be able to compete across the board with Walmart. The economy of scale works against them.
Long term however, there is no doubt which business is better for the community. Money spent at a box store is essentially taken out of local circulation.
This is also the season for spreading cheer and if you are so inclined, we encourage you to seek out one of the Family Holiday Wish Trees you can easily find at various local businesses.
The tags on those trees represent a child’s wish for a Christmas gift. The child, through no fault of their own, may be looking at a pretty bleak Christmas but a little gift can go a long way to making the season brighter.
If you should buy that gift locally, it will truly be the gift than keeps on giving.
