Imagine your neighborhood or city without any of it's small, local businesses. It's strange to think about right? No curated coffee shops, hair salons, boutiques, etc. Even though we're small, we're a big deal! The Small Business Administration (SBA) reports 28 million small businesses operating in the U.S. alone. Since 1995, those small businesses have generated 66% of all new jobs in the United States. We want to encourage you to shop small every day so every day a small businesses owner can do a little happy dance when they make a sale :) Of course that's not the only reason...
Small businesses give back more to your community than big box stores! We pay sales taxes to the city and county our business is located in. That tax money is used to support public schools, parks, roads, and sidewalks, as well as fund public service workers. On average, 48% of each purchase at a small local business is recirculated locally, compared to 14% of purchases at chain stores. Also, as previously stated, more than half of the U.S.'s jobs since 1995 were created by small businesses. Small businesses make a major economic impact!
We also strive to provide better customer service. Small businesses have the ability to provide more personable, hands-on, and memorable customer service. No waiting on lines and pressing numbers to reach a representative! You call or e-mail and we answer as fast as we can and chances are, you're talking to the business owner themself. At Shop SLOYC, we're a family owned and operated business. We of course have other employees, but we make sure that we're hands-on and that everything lives up to our standards of customer service and quality assurance.
Small businesses also provide greater product diversity and we have just as much access to vendors that box box stores do. We're usually pretty receptive to our customers suggestions so if there's a product you want us to carry and think would fit well with our store, then you can let us know! That's where community comes in. Small businesses can create a sense of community which is certainly something we need more of nowadays. You're much more likely to get to know a small business owner in your neighborhood. The owner - Stephanie Stackhouse - is even apart of local government and participates in various committees!
Lastly, one of the most important reasons to shop small is because it feels good! Would you rather buy from a so so [insert big box athletic brand here] or buy from a small business that carefully curates the clothing sold and is mindful of where it's sourced? It's feels really good to know you're apart of the small business movement, supporting the local economy, and local families. You can even support small businesses for free - yes! Get vocal on social and share pictures or write a review. It may not seem like a lot, but it is and we appreciate every bit of it.
Sources:
Corkery, Colleen. “6 Big Reasons Why You Should Shop Small Every Day.” Fivestars Insights, 9 Dec. 2015.