Why shop at locally owned businesses in Walton County? The following 10 reasons will show you why your money should be spent at local businesses to reinvest in our community and help Walton County maintain it's unique appeal.
1. Community Well-Being: Walton County businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, linking residents, and contributing to the local causes of our area. Shops in our towns create local employment and self-employment which is then reinvested into our communities. Local businesses are proportionally more generous in their support of local charities, schools, and community functions. Supporting local shops means a beneficial financial impact on all of our community.
2. Local Decision Making: Local business ownership and involvement means that important decisions are made locally by people who live in Walton County. These residents have a vested interest in our communities wellbeing and will feel the impacts of their decisions.
3. Local Businesses Support Local Economies: Your dollars spent in Walton County businesses have a much stronger impact on our community than money spent elsewhere. When you shop locally, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more city services through sales tax, invest in neighborhood improvement and promote community development throughout Walton County. When you add travel expenses and most valuably your time, the overall cost to shop outside of Walton is much higher.
4. Public Benefits Versus Cost: Local stores require comparatively less infrastructure and make more use of public services. Private and public sector services cluster around shops. As shop disappear so do those products and services we rely on.
5. Entrepreneurship: American is a nation of entrepreneurs and this enterprising spirit fuels America's economic innovation and prosperity. It also serves as a catalyst in allowing families to create and live the dream they have for their family.
6. Environmental Sustainability: Walton stores help sustain thriving, compact, walkable town centers or squares- which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile traffic, gas usage, habitat loss, as well as air and water pollution. Local shop more often stock locally sources goods which do not require much transport. This helps reduce our global footprint.
7. Product Diversity and Affordability: Small businesses generally select their products based on their interests and the need of their local customers and community. This guarantees a much broader range of needed product choices.
8. Local Distinctiveness: Independent shops create distinctive shopping experiences and stock different products. Local businesses respond more quickly to the needs and wants customers, stocking products to meet the challenges of the community and population.
9. Customer Service: Numerous surveys show that people receive better customer care and service locally, where everybody knows your name. Walton County businesses thrive by their reputation and repeat business through referrals which means you get a better standard of service.
10. Shop Walton First: Local shops here in Walton County are for everyone. Most residents can access businesses quickly and easily without many challenges which is especially important for the elderly, young, and those with limited transportation and Gas Budgets!!
We have so many fantastic shops and services in Walton County that there really is no reason to go anywhere else. It's one stop shopping. Shop Smart, Shop Local.
Please check out our online membership directory for specific categories and/or businesses.
Resources:
www.amiba.com
www.localharvest.com
www.livingeconomies.org
www.ilsr.org
www.locavores.com
Disclaimer: These resources are for general information purposes only and do not constitute advice or reflect the opinion of the Chamber in any way.
