Spend your dollars locally

by J. Patrick Reilly

As the holiday season gears up and deals flash across every screen, it’s easy to let our dollars drift toward the biggest online retailers. Convenience has its appeal—but so does community. And in places like ours, where the strength of the local economy directly shapes our daily lives, the choice of where we shop matters more than ever.

When we shop locally, we’re doing much more than buying a gift, grabbing groceries, or picking up a last-minute part. We’re investing in the people who invest in us. Local businesses sponsor youth sports teams, support school fundraisers, donate to community events, and keep our business community vibrant. The money we spend with them doesn’t disappear into a distant corporate office—it circulates right here, recirculating in wages, local services, and even the tax base that maintains our roads, parks, and emergency services.

Local businesses also bring something that big-box stores and online giants can’t replicate: relationships. Walk into a locally owned shop and you’re greeted by someone who knows your name, who remembers your last purchase, who actually lives in and cares about this community. They succeed when we succeed.

But they can’t thrive without us. Many local shops are operating on razor-thin margins, still recovering from years of economic uncertainty. Every purchase, large or small, helps them stay open. And every time another storefront goes dark, we lose a little more of the character and identity that make our towns unique.

This isn’t a plea to avoid online shopping entirely. It’s a reminder that we have the power to shape our own community’s future. Choosing to shop local—whether it’s at a bakery, hardware store, boutique, farm stand, or family-owned restaurant—keeps our neighborhoods lively, our economy resilient, and our community connected.

So as you make your shopping lists this season and beyond, consider making a few more stops close to home. Support the people who support you. Because when you shop local, you’re not just buying things—you’re building the community you want to live in.