Having a strong sense of community is vital to mankind – communities help us make changes in the world and live better lives. And in this modern age with multinational corporations, the best way to support your community is by shopping local. 

Fortunately, in the past couple of years, many people have noticed how important their local small businesses are to their community and a whole movement has begun. People are increasingly changing their shopping habits and move away from big chain stores to local, family-run businesses.

And shopping local is not just about supporting your friend who owns a store – you provide numerous benefits to the whole community. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.

You Develop the Local Economy

When you shop locally, you keep your hard-earned money in the community. In fact, a study has found that for every $100 you spend at a local store, $48 go back into the local community. To put that into perspective, only $14 out of your $100 would recirculate locally if you went shopping in a big chain store. 

This is mainly because your local shop owners are locals themselves, and will eventually put all the money you spent at their store back into the community. On top of that, the more you shop in your local stores, the more work they have, meaning that they need to employ other locals to help them. All of this leads to lower unemployment rates and the prosperity of your community.

Additionally, by shopping local, you avoid putting some of your town’s friends out of business. We all know how devastating it is to hear that your favorite local bar or convenience store has closed – and this happens more often than you might think. A University Professor of Economics has found that over the span of 10 years after the opening of a Walmart store, some small towns are likely to lose half of their retail trade. 

You Preserve Your Town’s Personality

If your town was a dish, the local businesses would be the seasoning. They provide individuality to your town, and the collective presence of all the small businesses is what makes your town stand out from the rest. 

Yes, big chain restaurants and grocery stores are in almost every town already, but do they really portray the true personality of your town? A small, family-owned diner would offer a much more authentic experience to anyone who wants to explore the local culture. 

Imagine a town full of streets with unique shops and lively colors instead of generic chain stores at every corner – a breath of fresh air every local would appreciate. Ultimately, it will surely attract more tourists and make the whole community a better place to work and live in. 

You Save the Environment

A very important benefit of shopping local, yet one that’s rarely the main point of discussion. 

In recent years we have seen the development of many supermarkets outside of the town center. This led to an increase in traffic and air pollution due to people driving solely to go shopping at least once a week.

On the other hand, small businesses generally set up shop close to the main walking streets and the town center, providing supplies and services within a walking distance. By shopping local, you will eventually contribute to less air pollution, fewer traffic jams, and the overall quality of life in the community.

You Get a Better Customer Service

This is one of the more “selfish” reasons, but still a very important one when deciding where to shop. The customer services of bigger corporations can be a real bother – if and when you reach a customer service representative, the chances of your complaint reaching the one in charge are very slim.

At local shops, however, the owner is typically close to every employee and probably knows everyone in the neighborhood. They will offer a personal touch in helping you choose a product or suggest additional resources to help you solve a problem.

This will ensure you build a close relationship with the owners over time, leading to a more enjoyable shopping experience and personalized products. You will also avoid mass-marketed items from the big-box retailers and enjoy the personal connections you will develop with the local owners. 

These are just a few of the many ways your community can benefit if you shop local. Remember, you have the power to make your whole community thrive, and all you need to do is support the local business owners by shopping there instead of at a multinational corporation.