The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
SHOPPING LOCALLY BENEFITS COMMUNITIES AND CUSTOMERS
Shopping at small businesses spurs the local economy, helps keep resources in the community, advocates say
Chris Lerch
Laura Vernola, owner of Mont Clare Deli and Market in Upper Providence, in the kitchen of the new business that opened in September.
In this 2021file photo, Kristin Sirbak, owner of Beverly’s Pastry Shop in Pottstown, displays Small Business Saturday promotional materials.
of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce, which serves Berks, Montgomery, and Chester counties.
“When you want to call customer service, it’s a lot nicer to know you’re getting a person on the other end or can stop in on your lunch break at a local business, and have somebody resolve the issue,” Dautrich said.
Offering that personal touch is how small businesses thrive, Dautrich said.
“(Small business owners) are your neighbors, they’re the parents of fellow students on your kids’ soccer team, they’re sponsoring the soccer jerseys,” Dautrich said, “It’s a different way of looking at it when you remember these are people in your own community.”
In addition, small businesses create a sense of place, adding to the vibrancy and character of the community, said Aaron Gantz, senior director of economic development at the Greater Reading Chamber Association.
Gantz said Berks County’s five “main street” areas — Boyertown, Downtown Reading, Hamburg, Kutztown and West Reading — boast a variety of public art, in addition to unique shops, restaurants, and events.
Small Business Saturday
To spotlight small businesses during a weekend where big-box retailers are flooded with customers, several local municipalities and groups this year are holding Small Business Saturday events.
The events offer shoppers additional perks for visiting local stores on Saturday, Nov. 26.
West Reading’s Small Business Saturday event involves handing out tote bags and ShopSmall passports, which can be stamped at participating businesses.
Shoppers who have their passports stamped by at least eight businesses can then enter their passports into a prize drawing, with the winner receiving a complementary holiday carriage ride for four.
A similar event is being held in Hamburg, where shoppers who visit 10 businesses and one restaurant can submit their passports for a chance to win a basket filled with $25 gift cards from each participating business.
Dautrich said the TriCounty Chamber of Commerce has partnered with American Express as part of their “Neighborhood Champion” campaign, which encourages area shoppers to frequent local businesses on Small Business Saturday.
Hello 422’s Shop Small Saturday event is a “nacho crawl,” Lerch said, featuring 21 restaurants along the 422 corridor.
“It’s an idea to get groups of people to bounce around from restaurant to restaurant, order a plate of nachos, and between meals, go do some shopping,” Lerch said.
In addition, Hello 422 is holding another Shop Small to Win Big raffle, from Nov. 25 to Dec. 4, featuring three grand prizes of over $4,000 each in gift cards to 120 local businesses.
“When you think of your hometown, it’s the small businesses that really make it up. They’re owned by people in your community, the employees are people in your area, they contribute, they’re the places you go with your family…They’re just ingrained.”
Other shop local initiatives
Initiatives to encourage shopping small aren’t limited to the holiday season, Lerch noted.
He said one effort in Phoenixville involves closing two blocks of Bridge Street to car traffic every weekend in the spring through early fall to allow patrons to dine on the street and give businesses an outdoor space to showcase products.
In Berks County, the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance offers the Go Buy Berks gift card, useable at any business in Berks that accepts Mastercard.
Gantz said the card is designed to drive dollars and marketing exposure to Berks County businesses and inspire the community to shop small.
No matter how shoppers choose to support local business, doing so sends a critical message, said Bernard Dagenais, president & CEO of the Main Line Chamber of Commerce.
“Local stores pay local taxes that help cut the burden on residents. They are our neighbors and often hire local employees. They support local organizations, including nonprofits that provide our region with social services, arts and life-enhancing activities,” Dagenais said, “Consumers who make a point of shopping locally are showing that they care about their communities.”