When people are asked what their favorite restaurant is, 9 times out of 10, it's a local business. I know in my town of Ellensburg that some favorites are The Jug, The Pasta Company, and the Yellow Church Cafe, to name a few. If you ask people their favorite place to buy gifts, or unique items for personal care or their home, chances are they will name a locally owned boutique or gift shop. Local businesses are an integral part of our community, and when I overheard a transfer student complaining that there was no Walmart in town, I almost laughed out loud. I can't think of a worse thing to happen to a town than to have a Walmart put in. There are so many benefits to shopping locally, benefits that a Walmart could never bring to a town. When large corporations come to a town, often the tax rates of a town start to rise, to account for the extra consumption of resources used by the big box stores. Also, small businesses have an important economic value because they employ an array of supporting services by "buying locally" themselves. I know many of the farms in my town purchase their plants and seeds from our local nurseries. When a new business opens up, they contract local carpenters, painters, electricians and other servicemen to prepare and maintain this new business. Research reports show that for every dollar spent at a local business 3.5 dollars are recirculated into the local economy. Money spent at a chain retailer often doesn't leave that chain retailer, as they outsource most of their products and services.

Local businesses are often run by families, and all the profit generally goes right back into the community, paying for the family groceries, dance lessons, sports fees, the family car and other such things. Local businesses give a town much of its character, and are often the reasons that tourists stop on their way through. Local businesses are also some of the biggest donors to a towns food banks and other charitable causes. When my towns local food bank burned down, the entire town rallied around the food bank and collected donations to help replace the lost goods. I remember donation boxes being everywhere downtown, and how awesome it was to watch the entire community come together to support our local food bank. Another aspect of local businesses that is often taken for granted is the relationships that are built with local business owners and employees. I have a great relationship with some of my favorite local business owners, and love stopping in even when I'm not buying something, just to say hi. There are so many benefits to shopping locally, these are just a few. So take a walk downtown, and see what your local businesses have to offer.You'll be amazed and surprised! Say hi, look around and take a look at what amazing things your local businesses offer!