Shop, Eat, Drink, Buy Local: 7 Ways It Makes KC Entrepreneurship Stronger

Shop, Eat, Drink, Buy Local: 7 Ways It Makes KC Entrepreneurship Stronger

Did you know shopping at Kansas City small businesses can actually be good for the environment? Or that shopping local can actually put more money in YOUR pocket?

Check out those and other reasons to shop local. And while you’re at it, put your business the map … specifically our interactive shop local map and let people know you support #ShopLocalKC. (You can also add a small business you love or support, too.)

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1. Energize the local economy.

When you shop at small businesses, more of that money tends to stay in the community than if you made a purchase at a bigger chain. And on top of that, local businesses are more likely to buy from other local businesses, so that local tax base is more likely to grow and so are other local businesses. And we don’t really need to tell what a stronger local tax base means for schools, roads and police and fire departments.

2. Support job creation.

Small businesses mean big job creation. From 2012 to 2016, Kansas City startups created 65 percent of all new jobs in the area. You can learn more about that in our We Create Jobs report.

And if there are more jobs in your community or neighborhood, your friends and family can find work near home. Plus, again, that keeps local dollars local and means shorter commutes. Can’t argue with that.

3. Promote better (and more) choices for consumers.

So if you have a healthy community for small businesses, naturally, you’ll have more of those small businesses, and that means more choices, and, likely, better deals. Those smaller operations will be jockeying for local customers, which means better competition. Mega-corporations don’t do that.

Plus, small businesses sell wares from local artists and makers, which likely means you’ll have a great selection of stuff to choose from that you wouldn’t find in a big box store. And those local items are often painstakingly created, which means the quality is probably higher than the mass-produced stuff that’s made to achieve higher profit margins … not usually quality.

Some customers say they don’t shop local because they assume those stores aren’t selling what they need. But the opposite is usually true; local businesses will often carry and stock those special trinkets and consumables you seek.
Multi-color hand-dyed yarns on display from KC maker Potion Yarns

4. You’ll get better customer service.

Life isn’t perfect, so when you run into an issue with a product or service with a local business, would you rather deal with a mega-corporation or a small biz? That’s what we thought.

At a local business, things are more likely to be resolved (and will likely be a less stressful experience) because you might know those who run the store and can chat with them easily. There’s a ton less frustration because you don’t have to call 47 different reps until you can reach someone who can actually fix the issue. Been there. Done that. No thanks.

5. Back a greener environment.

Local brick-and-mortar businesses will probably be in a community or neighborhood center, which means less sprawl and less natural habitat loss. On top of that, you’ll probably use less gas getting to that local shop.

6. Small business support = greater nonprofit support.

And shopping local means you’re supporting owners who care about where they live. That means local businesses tend to donate more to local nonprofits, which obviously benefits your community but also might help your family, friends and neighbors.

7. Boost your bottom line.

Did you know shopping local can actually help your pocketbook in the future? Because local businesses help grow the economic base of the community, the dollars you spend might eventually find their way back to you. And that’s not all. Small towns that have a thriving business base are more likely to survive downturns, so shopping local can even keep your neighborhood safe and stabilize home values.

You don’t have to shop locally every time to make an impact. Just having the mindset of doing business locally first is all it takes to start improving your community.

Start shopping right now.

Check out our new #ShopLocalKC e-commerce list and start shopping from KC-based e-commerce businesses. Be sure to add businesses, too, so more people can find the microenterprise businesses you love.

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