Shop Local and Keep the Cheer Here
By: Katelyn Parker
Most of us choose where we live but, what drives our choice? There are forces that keep us in a specific location beyond just having a job or owning a house. When an individual decides to plant roots in a place, they are doing so because the value of living where they do is greater than the prospect of living elsewhere. What makes that value greater? It often comes down to community. If you have planted roots in a Wyoming town, you know exactly what I am talking about. The small western towns that spackle the state of Wyoming are intimate communities that are home to involved constituents who make the members of their community part of their family. We work together to support our non-profits, cultural programs and we do whatever it takes to keep unique traditions alive. People that live in these communities feel a sense of pride about where they live and their contribution to sustain and better their little town. Our local business owners are often at the forefront of attempts to better their community. Individually owned businesses are the backbone of the Wyoming economy and this holiday season they need their neighbors support to continue the crusade to sustain and grow the Wyoming economy.
Reasons to Shop Local
Creates Employment Opportunities
When a local business experiences an uptick in clientele, the workload increases. When the work outgrows the staff, this increases local employment opportunities. When gainfully employed and paid a good wage, constituents put money back into the local economy, creating a tickle effect. When a larger percentage of a community’s population is employed, the overall economic health is optimized. In addition to the benefits the employer and the community realizes, when employment rates increase, there are several benefits to the potential employees as well. Working for independently owned businesses can provide a sense of purpose and can increase skill sets. Many of Wyoming’s small businesses are owned by local craftsmen/women that create handmade goods. This provides an opportunity for individuals to possibly learn a trade. Working for a small business is more than doing a job, it’s a learning experience and a way to be a part of something great. Shopping local makes it possible for more people to realize great opportunities and give back to the community in which they serve.
Enhance Local Economy
When you choose to spend money in your local communities, those dollars come back around. Think about your community and improvements you would like to see. Perhaps it is more horticulture and color downtown during the summer season, cracked and uneven sidewalks fixed or upgrades to recreational areas. When your money is spent on Amazon or other companies outside your community and state it leaves and is not recirculated. A dollar spent in a local business is fractured and the pieces got to the business owner, the employee, the business, and the state. The business owner and employees also shop locally so their portion is redistributed, and the state and local governments can fund various programs based on what is collected through taxes. What goes around, comes around so keep the “cheer” here and help sustain economic growth in your Wyoming community.
Support Your Neighbors
If you live in Wyoming, then chances are you know more than one business owner. Hypothetical A: You walk into a big box store and the employee only approaches you to make a sale to increase their commission and the store owner works from a corner office somewhere, having potentially never physically set foot in that particular store. Hypothetical B: You walk into a local shop where the employees and the store owner help you pick out the perfect product or service because they genuinely care about your experience and during checkout, you chat about mutual friends, family and what’s going on in your community. Which hypothetical do you prefer? Shopping local cultivates an intimate and genuine shopping experience and the proceeds benefit your friends, neighbors, and family members. The money you choose to spend locally helps the people you know to provide their children with braces, put meals on the table, fix their broken transmission, and so on. Make the money you spend go further when you choose to shop local.
This message has become a prolific one but, for good reason. The importance of keeping dollars close is imperative to local success. We have made it our prerogative to repeat this message to our readers because it aligns with our mission to curate the best of Wyoming and unify rural communities. We support Wyoming and the local businesses within, and we implore you to do the same.