The last few years have been tough. As nails. Bankruptcies, layoffs, foreclosures, shrinking checkbooks and increasing costs just about had all of our Stress-o-Meter’s hitting the breaking point. Yes. The Great Recession extracted a terrible price among families to be sure, but also to our small businesses – what many people often call the backbone of the United States. But in a place like ours, you can go even further. Because when you really look at it on a local-level, small businesses are – as a collective – a large part of the very Spirit of our communities. Spirit. That’s a big deal. It’s our character. It’s what keeps us together. It’s what attracts tourism and new people to move here. It attracts industry and jobs. It’s what gives each of us a stake in this place we call home. And, that’s no small thing.
This holiday season, the Morgan County Citizen and the Madison-Morgan Chamber of Commerce are coming together to ask you to SHOP LOCAL, DINE LOCAL and THINK LOCAL. It’s not just a game or a passing theme. Just think of your favorite shop, restaurant, or business and think how you’d feel if that local business closed down or was even on the verge of shutting its doors forever. Trust me. It happens. But, thankfully our small businesses know what it means to overcome a struggle. We are doing more with less. Going the extra mile with no extra fuel. Working longer hours. Why? Because we love our small businesses. We love being able to make a living doing business and creating jobs in our local community. And, that’s no small thing,
But, quite frankly our small businesses offer so much! Quality goods and services, local customer service (delivered in many cases by a friend), and convenience. Yet it’s even bigger than that. When you support local businesses, you support local jobs. Local families. So this season, remember Morgan County’s small businesses can provide if not all of your Christmas shopping at least a large percentage of it. That’s right. We’ve got it goin on. There’s a Whole Lotta Holiday to be found right here at home. All we’re asking is for you to Think Local First. And, when you do that, your shopping dollars will go a lot further.

And that’s no small thing. 

Printed in the November 8, 2012 edition