Recently I read an article entitled 10 Reasons to Support Locally Owned Businesses and wanted to share the findings with you!
1. Local character & prosperity create a unique shopping experience for customers. For example, there is a big difference from buying your wine from Domke Market versus a big box store. You get the personalized service of Brooke Goff, the owner and her years of expert pairing experience.
2. Local owners create a sense of community well-being. If you want proof of this, visit The Cheese Cottage at lunch time and you'll run into folks from every walk of life enjoying the delicious food and atmosphere Kristi & her team provide.
3. Decisions are made locally so that their impact is felt by the community. When Ashley Scarbrough decides to put together gift bags for a charity and spearheads the effort, her actions affect local residents. Instead of donating to a national cause she takes care of her local community.
4. Keeping the revenue in the local community is what small business owners do! If you follow Upspyre owner David Carpenter around for a week, you will note that he is eating and shopping local. You'll find him networking every Friday at Clean Eatz, shopping for his wife at Crimson Blue Boutique and planning his next video with CRFTSHO.
5. Locally owned businesses create jobs and pay fair wages. RSI is a great example of this with some of their technicians having decades of employment with the company.
6. Entrepreneurship fuels innovation. I immediately think of Meredith Simmerman and Reney's Honey Butter, a delicious concoction that she created and shared with her family. In two short years this company has grown from pop-ups to getting her own brick & mortar building. (Opening in August, 2019).
7. Public benefits are high for the community and the costs for locally owned businesses are low for the township so the community wins! Nouveau Salon & Spa is a prime example of creating a beautiful corner setting on Dauphin Street in mid-town. David White & Melita Ham staff the enterprise with professionals creating highly sought after positions. They have added value to the neighborhood with their beautiful and thriving business.
8. Competition between small businesses keeps the cost to the consumer reasonable and holds everyone accountable to the community. As a small business owner, you won't stay open long if you are doing shoddy work, price gauging or have poor customer service. Daycool Heating and Air and Yellowhammer Inspection Services are two fine examples of quality work and first rate customer care at reasonable rates.
9. Environmental sustainability occurs when quality businesses come together in a central location. For example Joe's Pizza & Pasta is just down the sidewalk from Crimson Blue Boutique AND Reney's Honey Butter is available inside! Three local entrepreneurs working together to create a wonderful experience.
10. Product diversity results when local owners decide what they want to sell in their stores and what works for the market. Instead of the big box format of every store in every city looking the same, these small shops have character. Visit Domke Market, The Cheese Cottage, Crimson Blue, Ultratanz or Nouveau and you'll find the owner's personal touch.
A warm welcome to Diane Cashen, interior designer to Meet da'Boss! She has a very interesting story that you'll enjoying reading on the website soon! Because of her husband, Bob's career as a news director in television, she has lived all over the United States! You'll discover how this accomplished couple ended up in Mobile! Meanwhile you can visit her website at www.dianecasheninteriors.com.
Happenings this week in Mobile!
Monday, July 8th - Summer Wine Soirée: Not Your Mother’s Mimosa Bar! Domke Market! Click here for info!
Tuesday, July 9th - The Business Breakfast Club - click here for more information!
Tuesday, July 9th - Women Info Networking (WIN) - 8AM - Cromwell & Associates, 1032 Hillcrest Road, $5.
Wednesday, July 10th - How to Apply Makeup & Pose for Photographs! Click here for more information! Limited seating RSVP soon!
Friday, July 12th, LODA Art Walk - Downtown Mobile. Click here for more info. 6-9PM.
Saturday, July 13th - U.S. Navy Blue Angels Pensacola Air Show 10AM - 6PM.
Have a wonderful week!
~Charlsie