It has also made me reflect on how B and I are consumers in our neighborhood. I think we are doing OK as far as shopping local but think we can do more. I am a lover of small, locally owned businesses and have the highest level of respect of those who are strong enough to take the chance on their dream.
Here are some of the ways we currently shop local:
1. Typically when eating out we head to a locally owned establishment
2. Most of the time we buy our bagels from a locally owned bagel joint (we need to make this our only bagel source!)
3. Instead of joining the YMCA I opted to buy a class punch card at a locally owned work out studio and it has been one of the best decisions! People are friendly, the classes are great and it has such a sense of community!
Things we could work on:
1. Check out the locally owned garden center for our plant needs this spring
2. Look into the locally owned art gallery for art in the house
3. Hit up the local coffee shop instead of Starbucks (I actually LOVE this local coffee shop but the Starbucks is on our way to work)
4. Groceries! This is a big one for us that I think we are the most guilty of, we drive past the local supermarket to drive across town to Trader Joe's. We have actually never even been in the locally owned supermarket even though it looks amazingly nice (way nicer than the slimy Kroger that is 2 blocks over from us - yes we drive past that too). I do have to say during the summer I do head to the Farmer's Market before the grocery store and I do have a pasta man in town where I get all of my Italian fixes!
I have to admit it takes a little more thought to say I am going to only shop local or shop as local as possible but I think it would be a good challenge!
How do you feel about shopping local? Do you live in a community where this is an easy thing to do? Would you consider shopping local over going to a big chain store? How are you shopping local already?
This is something Christopher and I are trying to be so much better about. It's really difficult because it's much less convenient, but sometimes life isn't all about what's easiest (at least that's what we try to remind ourselves).
ReplyDeletei would love to shop local...not many places here though. grocery wise, we have farmer's markets, but they aren't near my house. and for most other things...big chain stores are just so convenient!
ReplyDeleterockoomph.blogspot.com
Thanks for the great comments! Yeah, I understand the convenience thing completely and that is what most of the discussion is about on the list serve I mentioned. Convenience in the way of location, hours, products available and people have also brought up credit/debit card minimums that some local businesses require. I have big plans to try the local supermarket this weekend so we will see how it goes!
ReplyDeletelove this post! we, too, live in the same 'hood + i think it's gotten much easier to eat, shop + live locally over the last 5 years - so many great local shops + restaurants have popped up in the last few years.
ReplyDeleteprobably 1/2 of the art in our house comes from the art gallery you mention, + not only does it support locals, but it means we have a lot of cool, one-of-a-kind art which is a great conversation starter. we, too, love the local bagel joint + coffee shops.
i agree that the hardest avenue to shop local is for groceries. shopping at the organic/all-natural store in the neighborhood is just too pricey to do on a regular basis, so we get our staples from trader joe's/kroger + just supplement from there. once it gets warmer, it'll be a lot easier to take more trips to the farmer's market, too.
thanks for a great, thoughftul post!