Thanksgiving is here and Christmas is on the way, and you may have noticed a difference in yourself and others around you. The spirit of giving and gratitude is on the move and spreading fast. And the 573 area is simply glowing with the compassion and kindness that radiates from the community as we warm up our hearths and our hearts to prepare for the season of sharing.
Charity, faith, and family are all things that come to mind while opening our homes to our friends and relatives, but those aren't the only ways to spread the love and help your fellow man this time of year. One great easy way to give back and help support people in your own community without overloading your schedule is to shop local!
You have to buy gifts, treats, and items for the feast anyway right? Why not from businesses owned by our friends, our families, and our neighbors?
...the perfect present for each of our loved ones.
Small local businesses here in the 573 often use this time of year to bring beauty and fun to our neighborhoods by putting up festive decorations to raise our spirits and supporting or hosting events, sales, and holiday specials to keep us social. They inspire us to come together as a community and often help to make our day a little brighter and our load a little lighter as we bustle about searching for the perfect present for each of our loved ones.
But what about their loved ones? Like the rest of us, small business owners also have families to consider, and often end up having to compromise their own comfort and joy this time of year as they struggle to compete with big department stores and virtual giants.
The temptations to get everything done at a one stop shop to save time, or buy online to avoid crowds is ever growing. You can't deny the convenience of places like Walmart and Amazon, but not everything is greener on the corporate side of the fence. It's easy to get distracted and even go a little overboard in the big box stores, and you nearly always end up buying more than you should and spending more than you would.
You also end up supporting people you don't know in places you don't live, which over time can have a real negative impact on your local economy and the community it supports. But in this day and age, there's no need to sacrifice comfort and convenience for a smart purchase!
Thanks to the popularity of internet shopping skyrocketing in 2020, many small businesses now have their inventory selections available for online ordering, bringing them into the 21st century and making it that much easier to shop local.
personalized shopping experience
And if you're more old school and enjoy doing your shopping in store and in person, buying from small local businesses gives you ample opportunity to have a very personalized shopping experience, find truly unique items, and keep your hard earned money working for you and your neighbors right here in your hometown.
The season of gratitude is here, and the season of giving is near. 573 Magazine is thankful for all the epically interesting people, the cool natural places, the amazing and in-depth passions, and the small local businesses in our communities that help to support it all.
Below is a small list of just some of the awesome local businesses here in the 573 who help support the local community. Be sure to check out the small locally owned businesses in your hometown as well, and remember shop local this year!
CAPE
JACKSON
MILLERSVILLE
SEDGEWICKVILLE
Circle U Bar & Grill April’s Style Shop
PERRYVILLE
FREDERICKTOWN
FARMINGTON
Join us in giving back this year by remembering to shop local. Get out there!