BLADEN JOURNAL EDITORIAL: Shop local

As shoppers beging to pull out their wallets during the post Thanksgiving shopping season, we encourge shoopers to open their wallets at local shops rather than spending money online.

The money spent locally remains in the community and benefits not just local store owners, but schools and city and county services.

That means celebrating the Christmas shopping season with a level playing field for those brick-and-mortar stores that compete with Amazon and thousands of other online sellers.

Yet old habits are hard to break.

The National Retail Federation expects 58% of consumers to shop online this holiday season, followed by department stores at 49% and discount stores at 48%. The NRF’s annual forecast shows that online sales are expected to grow 7% to 9% during the holiday shopping season, compared to total sales growth of 3% to 4%.

Here’s a note from the Elizabethtown-White Lake Chamber of Commerce:

“Christmas in Mother Nature’s Playground – what a great way to celebrate this Holiday Season, where the nostalgia and magic of Christmas are amplified by a warm, welcoming community.

During the day:

– Explore the charming downtown of Elizabethtown with its gift shops, clothing stores, and restaurants.

– Wander through the eclectic offerings of Traxx Vintiques in Clarkton. You may just get lost.

– Try a tasting at Lu Mill Vineyard or Cape Fear Winery and Distillery as you stroll through their gift shops full of unique gift idea.

– Discover hidden gems at Market on Main in Bladenboro.

– Visit the Cape Fear Farmers Market in Elizabethtown on any Saturday in December and find a unique themed shopping experience.

– Have some fun as you try to find all the Elves hidden in the stores throughout the county.

Then at night:

– Drive through the miles of festive lights at the Annual Festival of Lights at Lu Mill Vineyard, explore the Santa Village and Candy Shop and feast on the savory southern dishes of the Country Buffet.

– Discover a whole new version of White Lake as this community becomes a winter wonderland. Tour around the lake, taking in all the light docks and piers.

– Relax by the campfire and enjoy Mother Nature’s light show, s’mores and a warm beverage.”

Supporting our local businesses benefits everyone in the community.

Given the inevitability of technological change and the shifts in consumer behavior, local shops may continue to see competition from online shopping, but shoppers should embrace local businesses that produce sales taxes that benefit us all long term.

Other challenges face small business owners staffing challenges, rising expenses and difficulty accessing credit. The Federal Reserve Small Business Credit Survey found that 59% of small businesses reported fair or poor financial conditions during the summer.

We can all do our part to support our communities by supporting small businesses in and around Elizabethtown, White Lake and the rest of Bladen County.