city pages • adrian
More than a slogan
SHOP LOCAL Story by Ann Hughes • Photo by Hollie Smith
We have all seen the posters reminding us to patronize our local, independent stores rather than going out of town and letting our money support jobs, municipalities and services in communities other than our own. Maybe you have wondered if spending your money in your hometown first really makes a difference in the long run. Simply put, it makes a significant and long-term difference. Local shopping campaigns have sprung up across the country and abroad because spending our dollars where we live is a critical investment in our local economies. hopping locally is a most basic form of community and economic development. It is an effort in which we can participate and have fun shopping at the same time. Here’s why increasing the number of dollars you spend locally makes such a difference: Local dollars support increasing numbers of jobs. As more dollars are spent, local businesses need and can afford more employees.
shop local • eat local
The sales tax generated in your community or state goes to fund local infrastructure projects and services. Merchants can afford to expand their product lines and add services, and restaurants can add to their menu items, attracting more customers for all. A thriving business district, alive with customers and commerce, positively impacts a community for the better. Success breeds success as new businesses start up and add to the attractiveness of the community. Did you ever consider how your dollars, spent locally, can have an effect on charitable causes and non-profit organizations? Businesses receive appeals almost daily for gifts and contributions from one entity or another. While a business cannot say “yes” to every request, it is better able to afford a positive response if locals are supporting the business. While many communities focus their promotional efforts on encouraging consumers to spend more of their discretionary income locally during the holiday season, the greatest benefit to a community comes from having a committed base of consumers who make a serious attempt to increase their spending with local, small and independent businesses. Small businesses comprise the fastest-growing segment of our economy, providing jobs as well as service and value not found elsewhere. People care about their community and want to see local, small businesses succeed. But frequently they don’t realize how important it is for them to make a personal effort to support those very businesses. Not infrequently, many of those businesses are forced to close their doors because not enough customers walked in and made purchases. When you have a great experience at a local shop, receive exceptional service or have built a
• play local
• FUN TIMES • May 6 • 5 pm-8 pm Celebrate Your Culture June 3 • 5 pm-8 pm A Little Bit of Country Adrian First Fridays ART . FOOD . MUSIC . FUN downtownadrian.org Fri • May 6 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce. Phoenix Rising, Next Step Creative, PNEUMA May 13-22 Million Dollar Quartet Croswell Opera House 264-7469 Sun • May 22 • 9 am – Noon E-Race Stigma 5k Run/Walk/Kids Dash Farmers Market Toledo Street fromer73@hotmail.com Fri • June 3 Bohn Pool Open for the Season 263-2151 Fri • June 3 • 8 pm Benny Goodman The King of Swing Adrian Symphony Orchestra Dawson Auditorium 264-3121 June 11-26 Billy Elliot Croswell Opera House 264-7469 Thur • June 18 & 25 • 7:30 pm Music in Trestle Park Adrian City Band. 264-4806 Events List Sponsored by:
relationship with a local merchant that results in increased satisfaction with that business, share your experience with friends and family, encouraging them to shop there, as well. n
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