Shop local save on gas

Shop local to support merchants — and save on gas

BY JOELLEN WANKEL

Holiday shopping is upon us, and gas prices are high. There are a number of reasons why sticking close to home and shopping local is the smart move.

Support your neighbors and receive support inkind. That app or website doesn’t provide personal, face-to-face advice on what color to choose, how long the item may last or what alternative might be a better fit for the person on your list.

No one likes to see empty storefronts, and making sure businesses stay open within our community means understanding where those dollars go.

“When people shop local, that money stays here. Specifically, $68 of every $100 stays in the community when shopping at a local business,” said Main/Elm Street Coordinator Sarah Matzner. “With supply chain shortages and shipping delays expected this holiday season, it’s extremely beneficial for customers to go into local businesses and do their shopping. In a small community like ours, oftentimes merchants know the person you’re shopping for and they can provide a personalized recommendation. Another benefit is this way, the product is in your hands that very day.”

Shopping local means leaving the house, strolling along a decorated Main Street and finding the right gift. You remember this, and the experience guarantees you don’t accidentally buy something twice.

Plus, shopping is a chance to get together with a friend or loved one and catch up, while you are available to give an opinion on a potential gift for the holidays. This is a great bonus to a fun day or night’s activity.

“When you support Small Business Season and shop local, you are supporting your neighbors and they are more likely, in turn, to keep the money you spent with them local as well,” Bradford Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heidi Scrivo Passmore said.

If you tend to wait until the last minute, shopping local is a smart move. You get the item off the shelf yourself, so there’s no stressing that the mail won’t arrive on time. Also, it is a good idea to remember that shopping local is going to mean success this year, while the backups at the ports on the West Coast and the staffing shortages plaguing businesses across the US may result in disappointment.

Another option for the person on your list who is hard to shop for is a Chamber Gift Certificate, which can be used at local businesses and gives that person a chance to find something special for themselves.

“The Chamber is proud of our community who support Shop Local Season via our Chamber Gift Certificates. We sell approximately $45,000 in gift certificates during the holiday season and all of that money stays local. Chamber Gift Certificates can only be used at member businesses,” Passmore said.

Window shopping can mean inspiration for that person you aren’t sure what they want or need. Meanwhile, you never know what kind of opportunity you can stumble on while shopping local. Perhaps a career change is on the horizon, and a business you’d love to work for can offer you that option.

The Main Street Program is registered as a Neighborhood Champion for Small Business Saturday, which is Nov. 27.

Small Business Saturday was created by American Express as a way to highlight local businesses, as opposed to the big box stores that take center stage for Black Friday.

Shopping local for Christmas helps out the buyer, seller and the community. Last year, some folks took advantage of holiday sales to shop at Bradford Chocolate Factory.

FILE PHOTO

Eville Holidays

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a camel. The event takes place at the village gazebo where children dressed as angels and shepherds met to honor Baby Jesus as carolers sing.

Wallace said there are no plans for a New Year’s Eve event at this time.

“Unfortunately, these events were not held last year due to the pandemic. We’ve had a lot of people inquire about this year’s status of events and we definitely wanted to have these events back this year,” she said. “Fortunately, we’ve been able to make this year’s events cohesive to the New York State guidelines. We feel it’s a step in the right direction, and I think a lot of people appreciate that.”

Wallace said Ellicottville was thrilled to have the border open allowing vaccinated Canadians to come back. She said it was wonderful to see the community effort in welcoming them.

For updated information on holiday events, visit the chamber’s website at ellicottvilleny.com.

Holiday Valley begins the season with a targeted opening day of Nov. 26. Marketing Director Jane Eshbaugh said it all depends on the weather. It has to be cold enough to make snow and the ground has to be cold enough to keep the snow on the ground.

Eshbaugh said they plan to start the ski season out with a champagne celebration when their new state-of-the-art, high-speed quad chairlift opens at Yodeler slope. She said that’ll be their first event of the season, but they haven’t set a date yet.

Several events are planned during the holidays including the annual Demo Day that is scheduled for Dec. 18. The event gives people a chance to try out the latest ski and snowboard equipment for free.

Although Training Center Christmas Camp is more for the kids on Holiday Valley’s ski, snowboard and freestyle teams, Eshbaugh said anybody can register for it and come.

Holiday Valley’s New Year’s Eve Celebration will take place at 9 p.m. Dec. 31 until 1 a.m. Jan. 1. Eshbaugh said the first activity of the night will be the Groomer and Torchlight Parade that comes down Cindy’s Run at 11:30 p.m. Afterward, a fireworks display is planned for 11:45 p.m. to midnight.

“Anybody who can ski down Cindy’s Run can participate in the parade,” she said. “We usually have a band in the Main lodge, so people can come in and enjoy the music and get ready for the fireworks and the new year.” up with a successful season last year because so many people in Western New York had more spare time. She said a lot of them worked from home and they weren’t taking their kids to school sports, so they were really busy with local people at the resort.

“This year, a lot of those people are back at work and the kids have school sports again. It’ll quiet-down a bit, but the Canadians will come and fill that little gap,” she said. “We’re very excited to have them back and it’s great to see them again.”

Eshbaugh said the staff at Holiday Valley is looking forward to a more normal year. She said people had to wear a mask a lot of times outdoors, especially when riding the chair lifts but, hopefully, that’s not going to happen this year.

To find out more about Holiday Valley’s events, visit online at holidayvalley.com.

Ring in the New Year in Ellicottville at Holiday Valley’s New Year’s Eve celebration, and then stick around for the rest of the winter with plenty of activities and events in the works. FILE PHOTO

Gtu� r a holiday season filled with peace, Wishing you a holiday season filled with peace, hope, and joy. hope and joy.

S�ectrumHealth & Human Services www.shswny.org www.shswny.org