No one’s telling you to STOP supporting your local McDonald’s (eeewww!, but I too are a guilty patron). The true questions at the heart of the matter are Why not eat local? Why not buy here? These establishments are the back-bone of our economy. And they are the ones who took the initiative to bring their dreams into fruition. (slow clap…)
Not only that but there is something undeniably awesome about having neighborhood knick knacks that one can call their own. I mean, think about it. How heart-broken would you be to awake one morn and discover Hillsboro Village was a memory of yester-year. OMG! Where are you gonna get your Bongo Java, indie hits & art fix in one stop. And “Dear God” who’s gonna make your ‘Cookie Dough Eggrolls’ at home. (Yeah, exactly). You can’t stand in the freezing cold with snot glued to your face waiting to get in The Pancake Pantry if it doesn’t exist. This doesn’t exclude farmers. When was the last time you scooped cow patties or pulled a veggie from the earth.
And the list goes on….but we won’t, you get it. Don’t You?!
Also, supporting local businesses means that you are supporting other local businesses (tongue-twister). There are tons of statistics and numbers I could share with you but why bother? Just take my word for it. These pie charts, graphs, dots and lines all show the domino effect when keeping your money local. Not too mention, when cities have cozy mom & pops to frequent. It makes tourist feel like they’ve been somewhere worth visiting or might even remind them of home. And everybody knows you need tourists to like you despite the bad rap they get. They drop big $’s when traveling.
Oh!, wait. Let us not forget the topic of the year. JOBS. Mom & pops create the most jobs in the nation. Somebody’s gotta cook that food, do that inventory, purchase the orders, clean the floors, take long lunch breaks, the no call- no shows, and all of those who clock-in late (I was saving a kitten from being hit by a car…no…it really happened), but anyways someone has to employ these people. And a pat on the back to you mom & pops for dealing with us.
Great to meet you on Sunday! Loved the quiche!