Time to shop small & local
Here's why...
This week starts the mad rush of buying buying buying—presents for others, or maybe treats for yourself. Sometimes, you might be tempted to buy things you didn’t even know you needed, just because they’re on sale (guilty).
But we liked this message from Heather at Freehand Market, a sustainable home and gift shop in Saxapahaw about why her store doesn’t do buy into that:
We don't do Black Friday sales (we aren't even open) because we believe that the holidays we get to spend with family in gratitude shouldn't be cut short by manufactured urgency of commerce.
That makes sense to us! We’re planning to do a lot of posts about homemade presents, but we were also thinking about why it’s important to shop local as a way of helping your community as well as the planet. Here are some of the biggest reasons we like to shop local:
1. Small local businesses are run by your neighbors. When you buy from them, you’re helping your community to do well, which helps you in return. Just one example: Get Rooted Nursery, where we like to shop for and learn about outdoor plants and trees, is just down the road and owned by the parents of a kid who rides Bea’s bus. They give back to Bea’s elementary school, supporting PTA initiatives and even providing the tree planted in Mr. Ronnie’s honor.
2. Small businesses usually shop for the things they need from your community, and also tend to rack up fewer miles getting product from place to place, which is much better for the Earth. Food grown and prepared locally is a great example of a way to help the Earth, whether you give someone a gift certificate to a local restaurant or a package of cookies from a favorite bakery. Here’s what Bea says: “Far-off companies transport things for big businesses, which means planes and big trucks, which means fossil fuels. Plus, if you get carrots from far away, they are not going to taste as good as when they’re locally grown—trust me!”
3. Small businesses know their products, and they’re more likely to know you. Here’s what Bea says: “Big companies are like, ‘here’s your stuff, you can go now.’ On my birthday we went to the Orchid Gallery in Pittsboro. Jeff has had that business for 27 years, and he has thousands of orchids and plants. He taught me how to take care of the orchids, what they’ll do, and how to remember not to over-water the roots. At big stores like Lowe’s, I see a plant, I ask the person how to take care of it, and they might tell me water it and give it sunlight, but they won’t tell you the name of the plant or extra details.”
This extra attention, we’ve found, is especially true of bookstores—when I was shopping for Bea at McIntyre’s last weekend, Johanna (the children’s/YA bookseller) knew what Bea likes and helped load up my cart with books she’s already tearing through. You won’t get that from Amazon.
A few other favorite small businesses in our area: The Muse vintage shop in Graham, Geek Chic Clothing in Pittsboro, Capp’s Pizzeria in Pittsboro, Phoenix Bakery in Pittsboro, So and So Books in Raleigh, Vimala’s Curryblossom Café in Chapel Hill, and the Honeysuckle Tea House in Chapel Hill.
What do you like best about the small businesses in your community? Do you have a favorite bookstore, bakery, gift shop, or plant shop? Are you planning to shop small—or shop less—this year?
i just want to give a shout-out to Tommy’s Produce! i am so thankful they are open for all seasons !