A Sad Reminder to Buy Local

It seems to be a growing trend. Local businesses (especially larger ones with higher overhead) have had to close their doors because of lack of business.

The above photo is from a local camping and sporting goods store in my area. This store has been around for 71 years and Nebraskans (and probably many Iowans) have relied on this place to fulfill their outdoor needs for decades. Unfortunately, the store is set to close next month due to fierce competition from online retailers.

Let's face it: most of us like to save money when possible. It's tempting to shop online for the best deal and choose a site that will save us a couple of bucks in the end, especially when the item can be delivered to our door and the alternative is to actually leave home and go to a store. The problem is that many items can't just be purchased online. Most times, before buying something that I intend to keep for a long time, I like to actually hold it in my hands, check it out, try it on before I buy it.

In the case of this local sporting goods store, many potential customers would come in just to try on the items before then buying them online. Why not just go to the store and try on that climbing harness? Those hiking boots? That coat? You can then get online and buy the same item for $5 less. The problem with this mentality is that it is not sustainable for those local businesses. They need that extra $5 or $10 per item to pay their employees (fun fact: many local businesses are committed to paying their employees a better living wage) and their electric bills. When you need to buy something, isn't it nice to have an actual person there answering your questions?

I think this is something we all need to keep in mind when we choose to buy items online or from large superstores rather than supporting local companies. When we go to a store that is locally owned and receive assistance from a person, that interaction has worth. When we walk into a business and try on the shoes before committing to their purchase, that experience has worth as well. If we don't remember to support the brick and mortar stores, I'm afraid that they'll end up like my beloved outdoor store here. Please help me to make sure that we have these options in the future by committing to support these establishments when possible.