Celebrating small business

In bygones years, when you opened the door to the little shop down the street a bell on the door signaled to the owners you were there. Often, they would scurry from the back room, where they had been busy with the daily chores of the store, to retrieve the items you had on your list, or perhaps to just chat while you inspected the stock that had just arrived. It did not matter whether the proprietors sold shoes or saws, candy or cars; you were the most important customer they had.

There are still shops in your neighbourhood where you get the same treatment. Small business is the backbone of any economy. Without the Ma and Pa stores and three- and four-person operations, large conglomerates and huge international companies would be all that is left.

Walking into your local jewelry store or bakery and being called by name is a rare experience in the 21st century. Many of the business people here have had several generations of the same family as customers. The business owners treat those people not only as customers, but also friends. The small businesses in our area provide goods and services to us that are top quality and will often go a little further than necessary to make sure we get what we want. We must not forget, too, that small businesses account for approximately 40 per cent of our work force in Canada - they employ us.

There is a way we as consumers can help the economy of our town, our province and our country. That is to buy local whenever possible. Keep our money here. We often hear about a lack of choice when it comes to retail in our region. While this assertion is not often accurate, we, as consumers, can improve on the choice we have.

By buying locally and talking to local business owners about what goods and services you cannot get in your area, you are creating a demand they might not realize exists. You do not have to be an economist to now that if there is a demand identified it will not be long until it is met.

During this small business week, why not make an extra trip to the hardware store, the dress shop or the auto parts shop and take an objective look around. By looking at shopping at your small, local business as a positive experience we may, in the long run, improve the quality, selection and service we now have at our fingertips.