Take a stroll down the main street of just about any small town. You’ll pass coffee shops with handwritten chalkboard menus, boutiques with twinkle lights in the window, and bookstores where the owner still knows customers by name. Almost every storefront has some version of the same sign taped to the glass: Support Small Businesses or Shop Local.
They’re more than cute sayings or marketing gimmicks. Those words are the heartbeat of your community.
If you’re a holiday shopper, you might already know about Small Business Saturday – the day wedged between Black Friday and Cyber Monday that’s dedicated to keeping our dollars in local shops. But the truth is, small businesses need our support year-round.
And when we say “support,” we’re talking about more than just keeping the lights on. Every purchase at a small business ripples through the community. It fuels the local economy, creates jobs for your neighbors, and often delivers the kind of customer service you just can’t get from a giant retailer. Plus, small businesses tend to work with other local suppliers, which means your spending stays close to home and helps reduce the environmental footprint.
A Tale of Two Running Stores
Imagine you’re a runner in search of the perfect pair of shoes. You walk into a specialty shop that focuses entirely on running gear. The staff are runners themselves – people who can tell you from personal experience which shoes will give you the right amount of support for marathon training or which moisture-wicking shirt will keep you comfortable on a hot day. They can talk about the difference between trail and road running shoes without looking up from the register.
Now picture walking into a big-box store. The employees might be friendly, but one day they’re helping a customer pick a baseball mitt, and the next they’re directing someone to the camping aisle. Their training is broad, but their knowledge in any one area may be limited. It’s not that they don’t care. It’s just that they don’t live and breathe their product line the way a small specialty store employee does.
That personal touch, the deep passion for a niche – that’s one of the biggest draws of shopping small. But it’s also what makes small businesses vulnerable when they’re up against much larger competitors.
Why It’s Not Always a Fair Fight
Large retailers like Walmart or Walgreens have enormous advantages. They buy in bulk, which drives down their costs. They have cavernous warehouses for storage and nationwide brand recognition that make them magnets for suppliers. Manufacturers know their products will be seen by millions, so they’re more likely to offer discounts or favorable deals.
Small businesses simply don’t have that kind of bargaining power. Their prices can’t always match those of the big stores. Not because they’re trying to gouge customers, but because they’re paying more to stock their shelves in the first place.
Then there’s the challenge of visibility. While a major retailer might spend millions on national advertising, many small business owners have marketing budgets that wouldn’t cover a single TV commercial. An ad in a local paper or a post on social media might be their entire outreach strategy.
One Business Owner’s Reality
Eric Collins, owner of Cosmic Tarot, knows firsthand how tough it can be to get noticed. “It’s hard to get that initial energy [for your business] rolling because nobody knows you and you have to do everything all by yourself,” he says.
When Collins first started out, he relied on word-of-mouth and face-to-face networking. He gave free tarot readings to friends, asked for feedback, and built his confidence one client at a time. “I reached out to other readers, asked for advice, and even took the work they didn’t want,” he recalls.
It worked. Today, Collins runs a thriving business, hosting tarot parties and getting steady referrals from past clients and fellow readers. But the road from “unknown” to “booked and busy” wasn’t easy. And it’s a reminder of how much persistence small business owners need just to survive.
How You Can Help (Even if You’re Not Buying)
We all like to say we support small businesses, but sometimes our actions don’t quite match our intentions. The good news? You can make a difference without spending a dime.
- Leave a positive review on Google, Yelp, or their website. Reviews carry serious weight when customers are deciding where to shop.
- Engage on social media by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts. Most platforms reward engagement by showing posts to more people.
- Offer constructive feedback to the owner. Honest suggestions help them improve and show you care.
- Buy a gift card if you can. It’s an immediate cash boost for the business and introduces someone else to their products or services.
Small actions add up. Your review might convince a stranger to visit. Your social media share might bring in a new customer. And your gift card purchase could help a business cover rent for another month.
The Human Connection Factor
Collins believes that while social media can help, nothing beats in-person interaction for making genuine connections. “You can get people’s attention online,” he says, “but when you meet them face-to-face, it’s different. It feels real.”
That’s something big retailers can’t replicate. That experience of being greeted by name, of chatting with the owner about your day, of feeling like your purchase matters to someone personally.
Your Dollar, Your Community
The next time you’re shopping for a book, looking for a special gift, or craving a night out, think about where your money will go. Will it disappear into the bank account of a massive corporation, or will it stay in your neighborhood, paying your neighbor’s salary, sponsoring a local sports team, or keeping a beloved shop open?
Every dollar you spend locally helps keep your community vibrant. It keeps storefronts occupied instead of empty, supports events that bring people together, and fosters a sense of connection that chain stores can’t duplicate.
Small businesses don’t just sell products or services. They create the character and culture of a place. They’re where relationships form, where stories are exchanged, where people feel seen and valued.
So, the next time you pass a shop with a “Support Small Businesses” sign in the window, don’t just nod in agreement. Step inside. You might find exactly what you were looking for – or something you didn’t even know you needed – and you’ll walk out knowing you’ve done something good for your community.
About the Author
Stacy Burnett is a freelance writer and adjunct professor. She has ghostwritten books in the memoir, self-help, fiction, and romance niches. Stacy lives near St. Louis, Missouri with her husband and stepdaughter. When she is not writing she can be found running, reading, or doing craft projects.