It is already the middle of November, which means not only, is 2020 almost over, but it is almost Thanksgiving and then it will be Christmastime!

There is something so magical about Christmas too. Not only the joy of remembering the reason for the season, but the fun of finding someone their PERFECT present.
You know what else is great about shopping, especially right here in Freestone County?

The gift you buy will of course be amazing and perfect, and it will delight the person receiving it. As an added bonus though, the person you bought it from is able to go and buy gifts too.

Not only do they get to buy gifts, but they can return that money right back into the same community we all live within.

Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brenda Pate had a good number of things to remind people about shopping local, especially with the hardships small businesses experienced in 2020.

Pate starts off by saying, “Remember local businesses support our schools, local events, local sports teams, local charities, local everything, so support the people who support you.”

She goes on to name numerous reasons why shopping local is so great!

Did you know?

–Did you know when you DON’T shop local you are supporting other communities’ dreams!!!

–Did you know our small businesses are preparing inventory that revolves around what you like.

–Did you know local businesses recirculate 52% of their revenue back into our local economy?

–Did you know that Holiday Shopping make-up about 25% of the total revenue for most small businesses?

Shopper Benefits

–Local business owners have the best CUSTOMER SERVICE which can be hard to find these days.

–Local businesses know your name, and they love their customers.

–Shopping local will save you time and gas.

–Buying local offers unique choices to purchase one-of-a-kind items.

–Look for sales this holiday season. Our local businesses have lots of great bargains right now and throughout the year.

Community Benefits

–Buy local everything when you can, Retail Shops, Auto Parts, Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Salons, Lumber Stores, and more

–When you shop local your tax dollars support Schools, Roads, Infrastructure, Police and Fire Departments and keep all of us working.

–Local businesses owner hire local people to work in their stores.

Stay Safe Easier

–Take advantage of curbside pickup and delivery.

–Purchase gift cards if you are not sure what to buy.

–Shop online or call your local business owners to see if they have what you are looking for.

–Shop during non-peak hours to avoid crowds for social distancing, if you have concerns.

So many amazing reasons to shop local! Not to mention opportunities to shop locally.

Fairfield offers shopping around the Courthouse Square with many amazing shops to select from, but be sure to visit them all! Throughout the city there are other shops and restaurants worth checking out.

Teague has shops throughout the city, and the new addition of the once monthly Farmer’s Market that offers many hand-crafted food and gift items, catch them every fourth Sunday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Wortham has a fabulous antique mall and while Trade Days had closed due to the Pandemic, they are reopening December 4-5, 2020 at their new location, 212 West Main St.

President of the Teague EDC Stephanie Burns reminds people that, “Business Owners chose the community to build in and they want to support your community.”

Another important thing Burns shares is that, this was a person’s dream. When you buy from them you support that dream, even buying one item makes a difference in a small business.

To add to this information, Fairfield EDC Executive Director David Fowler shared information about the multiplier effect.

http://www.civiceconomics.com/projects.html.

What that means is that, when money is spent in a locally owned (or locally franchised) business more of it stays within the community.

There was a study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) that showed for every $100 spent in a local business, $45 was returned to the community, as opposed to only $14 when spent in a big-box store.

For more information on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and their studies, go to ilsr.org/

Another study this time by Civil Economics, came back with very similar results.
This study and more are available at civiceconomics.com/projects.html along with more information on Civil Economics.

So, not only should you shop local, but you can help local shop owners by doing a few things:

–Help spread the word. Let your friends know how important it is to support local businesses.

–Share local business owner post on social media to attract customer to their stores.

–Show the awesome item you bought at a local business to EVERYONE.

It really can be as simple as that.