There is not one person that the recession has not effected. Looking around at the small town that I live in, I can see many more ‘for sale’ signs and ‘going out of business’ signs then I would care to see. During this time it is very important that we support small, local businesses. Besides the fact that small business are owned by our friends and neighbors, we need to support people who have put their whole lives into starting something that they truly care about. In hard times, small business are the first ones to be hit by financial trouble.
Some great ways to support local businesses is to buy local things that are of better quality than what large chains offer. Smaller businesses may sell things that are more expensive, but they are of a higher quality. For example, your local farmers market many be selling fresh organic berries for higher than what the supermarket is selling them for but you are likely getting a healthier option from the farmers market. Not only can you be sure that you are supporting a local farmer but you can make sure that the berries are actually organic. Many super markets have loose restrictions on what can be considered organic. Do you really want loose restrictions when you are talking about the products you are buying?
The other reason that you should support local small business is that putting money into your community will make your community better. Who wants to walk down main street and see nothing but vacancy signs? Supporting local businesses means that more businesses are going to come into the town. More money means more jobs and more jobs leads to a prospering economy. Supporting your local small businesses means so much more than buying from a small store: it means putting money back into a struggling economy.