Do you plan on vacationing or staycationing this summer? Think about the impact your vacation can have on the communities you visit.
Many small businesses have been devastated by COVID-19 and the loss of business it has caused. So, as you pass through these little towns, find a local spot you can stop at. Get your ice at the corner store, grab last-minute supplies from the local hardware store, fill your cooler at a local grocery store, and avoid big chains when grabbing something to eat.
Small businesses are such influential and beneficial parts of our communities. They sponsor our kids’ sports teams, host local fundraisers, encourage collaboration, support the arts, hire our neighbors, and always have the best ice cream. If you ever google a list of “must-see” places while on a road trip, it’s always a quirky or delicious place owned by a local!
Sometimes choosing to shop at small stores over big box stores means we may not find exactly what we are looking for. It’s an idea that is very hard for most consumers to come to terms with. But, not finding that pink flamingo floaty is not a bad thing. Think of it more like an exercise in creativity and compromise. Maybe, in the long run, the giant floating ice cream cone will be a bigger hit with the kids! Opening your mind to something new and different from your original idea could lead to something better!
It’s essential not just for the community or economic impact but also for nourishing creativity, i.e., the creativity to find not what you want but what you need while discovering local artisans who design extraordinarily creative items not available through mass production.
So, as you travel around the country this summer, be empathetic, give back to the business owners that have put so much love, sweat, and tears into building a community staple. Check out our rewards page to get discounts that make shopping small a no-brainer choice!
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