09/22/2025
We hear it all the time. I would support local if they didn’t cost so much. We get it!
Everyone is in business to make money, that’s the obvious part. But there’s a world of difference between a publicly traded corporation chasing quarterly earnings and a small, family-run shop trying to stay afloat by bringing the community their passion.
For corporations, profit is the mission. Decisions are made in offices far from the people buying the products and even their employees. The money moves up and out, going to shareholders, investors, and executives. That’s the system, and it’s built to keep growing bigger, trim costs, standardize everything and grow profitability for the top.
Small and micro businesses live in another reality. Profit isn’t emotionless, it’s human centric, it’s about making sure their family is taken care of: groceries, gas, rent, a little extra to put back into the business to be able to continue what they are passionate about. Instead of reporting to shareholders, they’re accountable to their neighbors and the folks who walk through their doors. The money spent with them circles right back into the same community that spent it, they donate to school sports, they support our youth, give to churches and source their things from other small businesses plus they work with other small businesses through cooperation and collaboration.
Now here’s the hard part: Walmart, Dollar stores and Amazon are cheaper. For anyone on a fixed income, that matters. It’s not a choice between “community” and “corporate” when you’re trying to make ends meet. Being able to feed your family and keep a roof over your head is priority, and should be.
SO maybe the question isn’t “How do I support small ALL the time?” Maybe it’s “Where can I shift a little?” Buy bread from the local baker instead of every loaf from the supermarket. Pick up honey, produce, baked goods, pastas, seasonings, pickles or plants from a local vendor now and then. Choose a handmade gift periodically throughout the year instead of clicking “add to cart.”
It doesn’t have to be ALL or Nothing. Walmart and Amazon will survive without us buying everything from them. The small and micro businesses? They’re the ones that need the few dollars we can spare. And when we support them, even in small ways, we’re not just buying a product, we’re keeping the heartbeat of our community alive through the funds getting reinvested here.