Why shop local?  

Here are 15 reasons to keep your cash close to home:

1. Keep Money Local—Sales taxes fund our communities and provide vital services such as police and fire protection, street repairs and trash collection. Local businesses are more likely to shop with other local businesses, keeping money moving in our local economy even longer.
2. Local Investment—Local businesses are less susceptible to national downturns and more likely to work harder to stay open. Local ownership means that important decisions are made by people who live in our community and feel the impact of those decisions.
3. Locally-Made Products—Local business owners often sell local products, which helps preserve the community’s distinction and creates more jobs locally, as well.
4. Support for Nonprofits—Local businesses support good work in our community. Studies show that nonprofits receive 250 percent more support from small businesses than large ones.
5. Discover Interesting Things and People—One-of-a-kind shops and restaurants are part of what makes our community a great place to live.
6. Personal Connection—Getting to know the store owners is a great reason to shop local. It’s their business, they are the decision-makers and they build a personal relationship with their customers.
7. Product Knowledge—Local business owners are well informed about their products and know what they are selling. Because they know their customers, they can easily adjust their inventories to include the goods and services local people want to buy.
8. Diverse Products—Local stores carry inventory you might not find at national chain stores. Local business owners choose products based on what their customers want and often carry unique items from local artists and farmers.
9. Cost Effective—Sometimes prices at local businesses are better because they don’t have the overhead that larger stores may have and they may be more willing to negotiate to meet your price needs.
10. Better Experience—Local shopping can translate to more convenient retail experiences. 
11. Less “Leakage”—Local businesses tend to buy and sell with other local businesses. With national or multi-national firms, a percentage of that profit ‘leaks’ out of the community, the province or even the nation.
12. Increased Expertise—Shopping at a local store means you can get an expert opinion about the products that you’re purchasing. Local shop owners have to be experts in their field to compete. Use them—ask them questions and get advice about products.
13. Create Community—We are a transitory society so people don’t always have a connection with the communities where they live. I would encourage people new to an area to ask the locals where they shop.
14. Better Service—Local business owners do what they do because they are passionate about their products and typically take more time to get to know their customers. They’ll often go the extra mile to help you and to ensure you’re a satisfied customer.
15. Support Future Growth- Shopping locally is the best way to show pride in your community and help protect the businesses that make our community unique.