Six Reasons Why You Should Shop Local This Holiday Season, and All Year Round

Publish Date: November 4, 2019

We’ve all heard the saying, “shop local”, but how many times have you stopped to think about what that means? Could you imagine your hometown without your favorite local coffee shop, diner or boutique? Probably not.  

How would your town look without the local shops, restaurants and vendors that line the downtown streets? Without them, your hometown would look more like a ghost town. That’s why it’s so important to shop local, says Kristin Vowell, Vice President of Marketing.

“Keeping your dollars in your hometown has advantages that are just as important as saving a few dollars.  Local businesses not only employ your friends and neighbors, they spend their money where you live too.  Every dollar spent in your hometown will circulate numerous times throughout the community.  Nurturing local business also ensures your sales taxes are reinvested where they belong - in your community!  At Fidelity Bank & Trust, we promote the growth of local businesses in our hometowns because we live, work, shop and play here too,” says Kristin.

November starts the time of year where most of us tend to do a lot of our shopping, especially with the upcoming holidays. So, before you head off to the mall to shop at those big retailers, here’s six reasons why you should shop local this holiday season, and all year round!   

1. Local businesses create local jobs
   When you shop at local businesses, you help create jobs. With more income that local business owners make, they can afford to hire additional staff, thus creating more jobs within your community.
    
2. Local businesses give back MORE to your community
   When you support local businesses, you’re supporting your hometown. Local businesses pay sales taxes to the city and county you live in, which all go back into your community to help benefit you. Small businesses help keep more money in your local economy!
    
3. Local businesses make a MAJOR economic impact
   According to the Small Business Administration, small business owners have added eight million jobs to the job market since 1990. 
    
4. Local businesses create a sense of community
   Local businesses are owned by your friends and neighbors. Often, small businesses will host events to nurture the community and bring everyone together. These are also great events to bring the family to.
    
5. Local businesses give BETTER customer service
   When you shop with your local boutique or vendor, you’re more likely to receive a personalized experience. You can even sign up for their loyalty programs and newsletters that share information about what’s happening in your community!
    
6. Local businesses make your community a destination
   Local businesses are one-of-a-kind. Small businesses become go-to destinations for tourists, bringing more income into your community.

At Fidelity Bank & Trust, we support shopping local because we’re Your Hometown Bank. Not only are our employee’s citizens of the communities we serve, we strive to be an upstanding corporate citizen in all of them. Click here to learn more about us.