October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald
Member Owned. Community Focused.
Journeys Start Here. www.highpointfcu.com | 800.854.6052
Federally Insured by NCUA.
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Why supporting local small businesses matters The holiday season is a time of year when shopping takes center stage. While online giants and big box retailers seem to be everywhere, offering an endless array of products with the convenience of low prices, small businesses provide a range of benefits that go far beyond the ease of a mouse click or mountains of merchandise. Shopping local retailers is more than just a transaction — it is crucial for maintaining the economic foundation of local communities. Let’s take a look at the many ways it pays to shop small businesses during the holidays and all year long. • Strengthen the local economy: A large percentage of the money spent at small businesses stays in the community.
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That’s because these businesses often are owned and operated by local residents who are invested in the community themselves. Various studies indicate that for every $100 spent at a small business, roughly $70 stays in the community. • Enhanced customer service: Owners and employees of small businesses have a keen interest in keeping customers happy. They often do so by providing superior customer service. Tailoring recommendations, exhibiting a willingness to accommodate special requests, offering a more engaging shopping experience, and being more friendly and connected with regular customers
sets many small businesses apart. • Support the community: Small businesses serve the community through the products and services they offer, and many give back in other ways as well. Small, locally owned businesses often sponsor schools, sports teams and charities. This helps foster a sense of belonging in the community. • Innovative offerings: Small businesses are not beholden to corporate policies or franchise restrictions, so they can more readily bring new life to existing ideas and trends. Small businesses can offer customers different options that larger retailers cannot match.
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• Job creation: Small businesses employ a significant percentage of the workforce and frequently provide jobs that might not be available in larger corporate settings. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy says small businesses have generated 12.9 million net new jobs over the past 25 years, accounting for two out of every three jobs added to the U.S. economy. Keeping residents working helps strengthen local communities. There are numerous benefits to shopping at small businesses this Small Business Saturday and throughout the year. Such firms help to establish a more resilient, diverse and bustling local community.
October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald
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Surprising features of shopping local A movement to “shop local” gained steam as more communities faced few options outside of big box stores. The shop local approach encourages consumers to patronize local businesses, and even those fully devoted to the cause might not realize how beneficial it can be. The following is a look at how communities and residents win when shopping local. • Shopping local increases employment opportunities. Small businesses employ more workers in the United States than their larger counterparts, creating two out of every three new jobs, according to the Small Business Administration. In fact, small businesses account for 99.7 percent of all employer firms in the United States. Buying locally means employment levels are either going to be stable or there will be more opportunities for local residents to work in the community. • Shopping local does not cost more money. Many people are under the assumption that buying locally is always more expensive. But this isn’t always the case. Local shops may offer a range of products from a particular region, which will reduce shipping costs, and that savings can be passed on to the consumer. Plus, small businesses may offer special 18
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discounts and promotions more readily than nationwide chains, so consumers can get more value for their money. • Shopping local helps to keep money in the community. Patronizing local stores creates a recirculation of money in the community. Dollars spent in town raise the overall level of economic activity, which helps pay salaries, and builds up the local tax base, says Michigan State University Center for Community and Economic Development. • Shopping local can help the planet. Environmentalists were among the first people to promote local consumption, as buying local can cut down on transportation-related pollution. • Shopping local stretches beyond seasonal events. Certainly there are a host of local merchants that do mich of their business during key times of the year or specialize in seasonal produce. However, many local businesses also offer products year-round, and these local merchants include artisans, designers, musicians, and clothing retailers. There are many reasons to increase reliance on local shops and vendors, who benefit communities and residents in myriad ways. October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald
How to support the heartbeat of your neighborhood Small businesses drive the economic engine and often reflect the character of a local community. When people choose to shop at a local business over a big box retailer, they aren’t just making purchases, they’re making an investment in their communities. The United States Chamber of Commerce says small businesses employ nearly half of the American workforce and represent 43.5 percent of America’s gross domestic product (GDP). Small businesses are a critical component of the national economic ecosystem and the cities and towns where they are located. Research consistently shows that a far greater percentage of every dollar spent at a local business stays within the community compared to each dollar spent at a big box retailer. Those funds ultimately circulate to schools, essential services and parks. Local businesses also help create jobs. There are many ways to support local businesses in your area. • Think local first. Shifting spending habits may require looking to
neighborhood stores before clicking on the cart on an e-commerce site. Small shifts like visiting a farmer’s market for produce or utilizing a local boutique for unique gifts can create a positive impact. • Advocate for the business. Social media engagement is a powerful, often free, marketing tool. Anyone
can boost the visibility of a business by taking to social media to spread the word. Tagging businesses in photos, checking in on social media, following accounts and liking posts, and writing positive reviews can encourage others to support local businesses. • Go with local services. Supporting local businesses goes beyond retail shops. People can support local businesses by hiring a local fitness instructor, accountant, website designer, plumber, and more. Hiring local service providers keeps specialized skills within the community and can result in more personalized service. • Purchase gift cards. Buying a gift card to a local business allows shoppers to share the experience with another, and potentially create a repeat customer. This is support that a local business can use. By choosing and supporting local businesses, communities remain vibrant and successful.
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1 TOPPING 99 LARGE Fresh Made Pizza
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Est. July 25, 1933 73 North Main Street • Wellsville, NY 14895 585-593-9842 Sun–Wed 5am–2pm • Thu–Sat 5am–8pm
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How consumers can spread the word about local businesses
HOURS HOURS
Thriving small businesses are vital to strong local economies. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses contribute roughly 65 percent of all new jobs, while a report from the Congressional Research Service indicated that firms with between 20 and 499 employees had the best job creation record of any size company. That’s a significant feather in the cap of small businesses, as the jobs such firms create help to build thriving local economies that benefit from the tax revenue generated through employment and its ripple effects, such as the greater buying power that being employed creates. With so much to gain from a thriving small business sector, local residents can help to spread the word about small businesses in
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their communities. A handful of simple and effective strategies can help to promote local businesses, and each can potentially benefit consumers and communities. • Take to social media. Though it certainly has its detractors, social media remains wildly popular. An April 2023 report from Global WebIndex indicated 60 percent of the world’s population uses social media, and the daily average usage is two hours and 24 minutes. Data from Meta indicates that 83 percent of Instagram users discover new brands while using the platform. Such reports illustrate how effective positive reviews and references to small local businesses can be. Consumers won’t need
much time to share a story about a great local business on their social media accounts, but that small investment of time can pay big dividends for those companies. • Share experiences through word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth marketing still works, and consumers can play an important role in ensuring that it benefits local businesses. According to the marketing solution experts at Hibü, wordof-mouth marketing remains the most popular way to recommend a business. Consumers trust what others say about a business, so positive experiences with a local firm can be shared with family, friends and neighbors looking for similar services.
• Review the business online. Review Trackers reports that more than 81 percent of consumers are likely to visit Google Reviews prior to visiting a business. That’s a testament to the value of online review aggregators. After a positive experience with a local business, consumers can visit Google Reviews or another online review aggregator like Yelp and share the details of their encounter. Chances are strong the review will be read and compel others to patronize the business. A successful small business sector can have a profound impact on local communities. Consumers have an important role to play in the creation of a thriving small business community.
68 W mAIn 68 WStREET mAIn StREET HOMETOWN.BARANDGRILL HOMETOWN.BARANDGRILL 706.806.1122 706.806.1122 ORDER NOW ORDER ON NOW DOORDASH! ON DOORDASH! Locally Owned
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Pay it forward: Local businesses can help each other The power of small businesses is immense. However, starting a small business is no easy venture. The financial resource Fortunly states that roughly 22 percent of small businesses will fail in their first year of operation. Thirty percent fail because they run out of cash. One of the ways a small business can do better is to utilize the support of other local businesses. Business owners often conduct market research to identify who their competition is and to determine if there is room in the market for their products or services. It’s just as important for established business owners to keep up with the who’s who in the business community, as doing so can pave the way for collaborative efforts that benefit all local businesses. Here are some ways small business owners can support one another. • Offer reassurance: Simply knowing they are not alone can help a small business owner survive. Owning a business can be stressful, and having another person acknowledge that it’s alright to feel overwhelmed at times can be the spark owners need to press on. • Share opportunities: A business owner who discovers a resource or an opportunity that worked for him or her, or even one that didn’t work but may for another, can pass on the information to another small business owner. It’s not about driving others down, but lifting them up. 32
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• Cross-promotion: Business owners can show support by promoting other businesses in their communities. Make a bulletin board (either in-person or online) of other local business cards to recommend. This exhibits your community spirit and builds camaraderie. Use every opportunity to refer complementary businesses. For example, a local pet shop may recommend a pet groomer or veterinarian. • Organize networking events: Whether it’s done through a local Chamber of Commerce or individual efforts, small business owners can spearhead events that get other business owners together to network and share ideas. These meetings can be informal to help others let off steam at the same time. • Volunteer and donate: Small businesses can meet other business owners, but also become more involved in their communities through volunteer events. Partner with charities or other local businesses to promote philanthropic efforts. School supply giveaways, beach sweeps, community park refurbishments, or even supporting efforts to clean trash from Main Street are great ways to get involved. Small business owners willing to work together can collectively improve their communities, which should benefit everyone’s bottom line. October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald
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October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald
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How to improve customer retention Small business owners have to do their part to ensure their customer base is not drawn away by something shiny and new — particularly if that something is a big box retailer who has moved into the neighborhood. These strategies can improve customer retention and benefit small businesses. • Prioritize strong first impressions. Customers will judge a business by its cover. How they were treated, how smoothly a process ran and how quickly action was taken when an issue arose will affect how likely a customer is to stick around. Businesses who perfect their first impressions, particularly by putting their key employees in position to initiate contact, may find they are more successful at customer retention. • Customize the customer experience. Businesses can use omnichannel support to gather information about clients as they attempt to curate highly personalized experiences. Omnichannel support provides
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customer service across various channels and touchpoints, says Zendesk. This includes cohesive usage of live agents, chatbots, emails, and more. Omnichannel support streamlines customer service conversation history from channel to channel, ultimately making things easier on the customer. • Offer loyalty incentives. Businesses can foster goodwill and customer retention by rewarding customers who stick around. Rewards can include VIP events, early access
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deals, special offers, discount codes, and other loyalty programs. These programs help collect data to improve the customer experience and indicate to customers that they’re valued. • Keep customers in the know. Businesses should routinely update existing customers on what is being done to keep products and services fresh so evolving customer needs are met. With so much competition out there, businesses need to keep their names at the top of the minds of consumers. • Make every customer feel like a VIP. Go above and beyond with every customer, treating each and every one as if he or she is the most important person in the room. VIP services can include seamless online services as well as prompt and fast point of sales in person. These strategies can be employed by small businesses to improve customer retention rates.
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983 South Ave., Custer City, PA Just 4 Miles South of Bradford! (814) 368-6151 In the early 1960’s, the original Singer’s stores were moved to Custer City (just outside of Lewis Run), from nearby historic downtown Bradford, Pennsylvania. The old Country Store (pictured here) was destroyed by a fire in July of 1985. In 1986, an old farmhouse located next to the original store, was renovated into what is now Singer’s Country Store! Many locals and tourists have memories from their childhood, shopping the old Country Store’s penny candy and salt brine dill pickles from a wooden barrel. Today, those traditions live-on in the new Country Store. And yes, old fashioned candy and pickles are still customer favorites!
Historic “Singer’s Country Corner” (as it has been dubbed) is two great stores located in a small and unique community, recognized for it’s oil and timber industries. 38
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October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald
2228 SR 49 West Ulysses, PA 16948
814-848-7448
www.theCarpentersShopInc.com
Stop In and See Our Stock of Hardwood T&G Flooring.
Your Source For Hardwood Flooring! Over 1,500 Molding Profiles • 21 Species of Wood • Staircases Hardwood Ceilings • Paneling • Wainscot • T&G Flooring Doors • S4S Material • Custom Cabinetry • Rough Lumber Butcher Blocks • Wood Countertops • Live Edge Slabs Olean Times Herald | October 29, 2026
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The reasons to stay local when shopping this holiday season Holiday shoppers have no shortage of retailers competing for their dollars come December. The National Retail Federation estimated 2025 holiday spending exceeded $1 trillion, and there’s little reason to suspect 2026 spending will not match or exceed that amount. With so much money being spent, retailers have much to gain from attracting holiday shoppers. While big box stores and online retailers may beckon shoppers louder than anyone this December, there’s plenty of reasons to look local when buying gifts for loved ones during the holiday season. • Buying local pays you back. Communities benefit when shoppers spend their money at locally owned businesses. According to the Local Business Institute, $48 of every $100 spent at a
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locally owned business ultimately recirculates in the community. That means supporting one business in your community indirectly leads to supporting others. And residents should know that a thriving local business sector is great for property values, as buyers tend to be willing to pay more to live in locations with successful shops, cafes and restaurants. • Buying local encourages additional investment. New Jersey-based Spencer Savings Bank notes the appeal of already thriving business sectors on other entrepreneurs seeking to open their businesses. By supporting existing local businesses now, residents are helping to establish a foundation for future economic growth within
their communities. The holiday season is a particularly lucrative time for businesses of all sizes, so that makes it a perfect time for locals to support the establishments in their community. • Buying local offers more chances to find something unique. Buying local also pays more immediate dividends come the holiday season. Big box stores and online retailers sell the same items to people regardless of where they live, whereas independently owned local businesses tend to feature more unique items that can only be found in their stores. Shoppers looking for unique gifts for their loved ones need look no further than Main Street to find such items. • Buying local benefits the environment. Eco-con-
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scious holiday shoppers should know that buying local is often beneficial for the environment. Locally crafted and purchased items will not require as much packaging as items purchased from big box stores or online retailers that must protect products from the wear and tear of long distance travel. And that travel also has a negative impact on the environment, as the longer distance it takes to get a product from a warehouse to a consumer’s home, the more harmful the transaction typically is on the environment. The holiday season is a lucrative time of year for retailers, and there are numerous reasons why shoppers should focus their buying power on local businesses this year and in the years to come.
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Prepare for Small Business Saturday Small Business Saturday® occurs on the Saturday following American Thanksgiving. Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for holiday shoppers to patronize local businesses on a weekend when national chains and online retailers tend to dominate shoppers’ itineraries. Since 2010, the total reported U.S. spending at small businesses during the annual Small Business Saturday is an estimated $201 billion. Communities can prepare for the arrival of SBS this holiday season in the following ways. • Promote participation. Participating businesses should alert the public that they will be involved in SBS through local outreach, social media posts, marketing emails, and other avenues to generate excitement and exposure. Businesses also can download free marketing materials from https://www.americanexpress.com/us/merchant/shopsmall/materials.html, including the Shop Small® logo.
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• Offer incentives and deals. Small businesses can offer special discounts and incentives that are exclusive to SBS, which may include BOGO deals or gift-with-purchase incentives to further entice shoppers. • Create specialized bundles. Business owners can group complementary products or services together into holiday bundles to increase the perceived value and encourage shoppers to spend more. Beauty supply retailers, for example, can put together a specialized hair care bundle that may include shampoo, conditioner, heat protectant, and finishing spray. • Enhance the business atmosphere. This is the time to make sure the business is inviting and in good repair. Decorating the storefront with festive items is only part of the package. It is key for business owners to ensure that the space is clean, welcoming and well-stocked. Investing in small event features,
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such as free snacks or live music, can engage customers and keep them in the business longer. • Prepare your business operations. This is the time for businesses to have plenty of staff on hand to handle large crowds. Choosing customer service personnel who are outgoing and friendly can help drive sales and make a great first impression on new customers. Small Business Saturday is an important time for local business owners to establish their footing in the community and drive sales at the start of the holiday season.
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W O O D CR A F T
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Roy & Mary Raber 2119 Stout Road Wellsville, NY 14895 Closed on Sundays 47
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October 29, 2026 | Olean Times Herald