Every time you make a purchase, whether you realize it or not, you're making a choice. The choice is whether to strengthen and support your community, or send your money elsewhere.
Why bother to shop at local businesses? Statistics show that when you shop locally your money remains in the community, and creates up to 75 percent more local tax revenue.
“Try DeKalb first is a perpetual campaign created by the Review with help from the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce to promote local shopping and encourage people to try local merchants before shopping out of town.
Shopping locally raises the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, creating more and more local tax revenues.
A local local shopping trip might also reveal that Smithville holds more bargains than you might think.
“We have Carhart, Levis, all the big brands. We have brand-name suits half price, and men’s shirts buy two, get the third free,” Phillip Cantrell of Fluty’s Clothing and Shoes told the Review. You can’t save money by driving out of town on those. We have great bargains on women’s clothes, too.”
Many people claim they shop out of town because of the selection, but the exploration of local businesses uncovers a surprising variety of brand-name items, some of which you may not find in larger markets.
“We sell Broyhill, Lane, and all the big furniture brands, Frigidaire, Hotpoint and GE appliances,” said Jerry Lee Cantrell of Cantrell’s Furniture. “We have Hoover vacuum cleaners and carpet sweepers. I get a lot of people who say they have been all over the mid-state area, and they came back here and found exactly what they want, and it was cheaper than they thought it would be.”
For the real bargain hunter, the many used and consignment shops offer new and slightly used goods to fit any budget.
“I have a lot of new formal wear,” said Donna Hoffman of Claire’s Consignment. “I still have consignment dresses, but many girls go out of town because they don’t want to buy a dress and find out that one of their friends wore it last year. I’m carrying a lot of new formal dresses now as well, and I can order almost any style. The customer can pick what they want out of the catalog. I also have a lot of consignment clothing that is new, with tags that have never been removed.
Myths about cheaper prices and a better selection of merchandise aside, one of the main reasons to shop local businesses is the friendly hometown service. It matters to them if you are satisfied, and whether you will return.
Remember, “Try DeKalb First.”