Consumers are shopping local more often these days. The desire to support the community in which you live continues to grow. Consumers want quality products and a more customized shopping experience they can only get from their smaller local businesses. But shopping locally is more than a benefit to you, the consumer. When you shop local, you support the families in your own neighborhood!
Invest In Your Community
Local business owners are your friends and neighbors who live in your community. Many of them are family-owned. Someone had a dream to open that shop or restaurant and made it a success for many years. They may have passed the business on to their younger generations. These families depend on the community to support them.
Statistics show for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $68 recirculates and remains in that community. Only $43 remains in the community when it’s spent at a national chain retailer. Local business owners make more local purchases themselves, which further circulates the investment in your own community. Those local businesses also employ your friends and neighbors, fueling the economy and making your neighborhood thrive.
Local businesses also donate more to local charities, nonprofits and events. Studies show that nonprofits receive more than 250 percent more support from small businesses than larger ones.
Shopping Local Means Greater Quality And Convenience
One of the best things about shopping locally is that the products are often unique to your community. Handcrafted items use resources from the same community and create pieces that are unique to the local culture. Small businesses will often cater to their customers, too! If you want them to design or customize their product to better suit your needs, just ask! They also hire local employees who have a better understanding of the culture of your community and what local consumers want or need. They take the time to get to know their customers.
When you shop for food at your local farmer’s market, you can choose fresh fruits and vegetables that may be less toxic with fewer chemical treatments. Not only that, but farm fresh eggs, dairy, and grass-fed meats are a healthier choice for your family, too. The Frisco Fresh Market is a great place to shop locally for all of your healthy and more sustainable food choices. It also has plenty of shopping, especially around the holidays! You can purchase all sorts of specialty foods, artisanal cheeses, and wines in addition to those farm-fresh items. And don’t forget to visit the nearby boutiques!
Shopping Local In DFW
In addition to the amazing farmers’ markets around the DFW area, you will find many local shops with something for everyone. Another great way to connect with the community and shop locally is in the town of Prosper, Texas. They host special events and activities throughout the various seasons. Visit the Prosper Christmas Festival for the holidays and watch the parade, then shop to your heart’s delight. It features Santa’s Workshop and Kids Christmas Shoppe, with proceeds benefiting the Parks and Recreation Scholarship Fund. There are also local artists’ demonstrations and performances. Check out the unique food items for sale and the local artisans!
What are some of your favorite shops in the DFW?