Opinions > Other voices

December 9, 2003

Shop often at locally owned stores

By HUGH STEARNS
Special to The Eagle

The Eagle recently published an editorial encouraging residents to do their shopping locally, since it is better for the local economy and saves the time and hassle of going to larger cities. This is good advice on wise consumerism.

While it may be true, as The Eagle pointed out, that “whether you buy from a national chain or from one of the great locally owned businesses, you are helping all of us when you shop locally,” the difference to the local economy when buying from locally owned businesses instead of buying from national chains is huge. A recent study showed that 13 cents of every dollar spent in a national chain stays in the local economy. A whopping three times that amount stays in the local economy when you shop at businesses owned by your neighbors. Thus the impact of shopping at locally owned stores and businesses is far more significant than merely shopping in town.

Certainly, direct stimulus of the local economy is a good reason to shop at locally owned companies, but there are other compelling reasons as well. Shopping at locally owned businesses is one of the most direct ways you can support family and community values. Large chains support business values and are almost completely devoid of family and community values. The charts and graphs that guide the decisions in the boardrooms of national chains do not consider such things as the loyalty of employees or the needs of their families. They do not have a sense of the personality of the communities they impact. In fact they are driven by just one thing: profit.

I am not here to argue against profit. As local businessman myself, I would love to see more of it. But I would argue against supporting businesses that, by virtue of their size, lose sight of the people and places they impact. For these huge, multi-national corporations, maximizing short-term profit becomes their sole driving principle. Local businesses, by necessity and usually from desire, support a broader range of values. Local business people are a part of the local economy, community, and culture, and the decisions they make reflect that. National and global chains have policies and procedures that guide their decisions with no consideration of people or place.

As a capitalist, I recognize and understand the right to pursue profit without consideration of families and communities. More precious still is our right in a free-market system to support local and family owned enterprises by doing business with local companies whenever possible.

The direct effect of keeping three times the amount of money in the local economy when you support local businesses is easy to see. Less measurable, but perhaps equally important, is the impact local businesses have on creating and maintaining local flavor and personality. Bryan and College Station are known as places of unique hospitality and friendliness. If visitors come to town, stay in chain accommodations, eat at chain restaurants, and shop at chain stores, will they see us as different from any other town? On the other hand, if they stay at the 7-F Lodge or one of our other many fine bed and breakfasts, if they eat at La Familia Taqueria or one of our many other fine locally owned restaurants, if they go to an event downtown at the Kyle House, and shop at EarthArt, they will have had an authentic Brazos Valley experience. Our economy will be three times richer and we will be able to take real pride in our community.

It is not only the visitor who benefits from shopping at locally owned businesses. Local business owners know their customers and their products much better than the unskilled, little-trained staff hired by chains. There is only one locally owned lumberyard left in town. You will not find everything you need for every do-it-yourself project at Callaway Lumber. What you will find are professionals who know their products and know their customers. You will also find material that is consistently of a much higher quality than anywhere else. You may pay a little more for this quality and service, but from my perspective as a builder you get a great value.

How often is heard the lament for a bygone quality of life. More often than not, that quality of life is associated with strong community ties and a special sense of place. These are the things that we give away when we fail to support locally owned businesses. This holiday season, give the gift of community by buying from businesses owned by your neighbors.

• Hugh Stearns of College Station is the owner of Stearns Construction and an activist for sustainable and ethical business and community practices.