by SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post
The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce has launched a campaign in an effort to give a boost to local businesses hit hard by COVID-19.
"Our businesses have been telling us, since people can come out, they're still not - not in the numbers that they had been," says Kristi Bailey, Chamber Director of Communications and Marketing. "So we knew we needed to do something to help encourage people to come back out, to show them the importance of shopping local, what it means to our friends and neighbors that work at these places, the taxes that are paid that go back into the community."
Bailey says the Champions of Commerce campaign goal is to get residents to think of shopping local first.
"When you think, 'Oh I need to buy a water bottle for school supplies,' that you think about, 'Does a local shop offer that' before you buy it online," Bailey says.
The Champions of Commerce website lists carry-out or delivery options for businesses, whether masks are required at a business and more.
Aaron Old, owner of Lanham Music, says being a small business owner always brings about new, unforeseen challenges, with the coronavirus being a big challenge. Old says, on top of that, with the rise of online sales, Lanham competes with music stores around the country.
“So why shop local? The taxes that local businesses pay support local schools, could help pay teacher salaries, upkeep of roads and bridges, parks and public spaces, things that help make a community,” Old says. “Spending money locally keeps jobs local and that money circulates throughout our community. My doctor, my mechanic... my eye doctor, insurance agent, they’re all customers of mine. I live and spend my money here, because when you shop local, the job you may end up saving could be your own."
Old adds that local businesses provide personalized experiences that customers won't get by ordering something online and having a box delivered to their doorstep.
“Last year, one of customers called in a near panic because her daughter had left her rental violin at school and their winter concert was that night, off campus, (and) the school was locked,” Old says. “Because she’d been a loyal customer, we told her we’d loan her a violin for the evening and she was incredibly grateful. By the time she made it to the store, we had that violin tuned and ready to go for her. Those are the kinds of stories that can only happen at local businesses.”
For more information about the shop local campaign, visit championsofcommerce.com.
The Buchanan County Commission helped with funding for the campaign and Eagle Creative is the marketing agency involved with the campaign.
