There’s a Ripple Effect When You Shop Local

May 5, 2020

A view from the KCRG Weather Cam pointing north on River Park Drive in Guttenberg, Iowa

When a single stone is thrown in a lake, many ripples form from the impact and expand across the water. That’s similar to the effect you can have in your community when you choose to shop locally. Advocates for Independent Business (AIB) and the Institute of Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) use this ripple concept to convey the shop local message. They also encourage businesses to help spread the word.

When you choose locally owned businesses for your shopping, you create a ripple effect. It starts with your own experience and the benefits you get from shopping at independent stores—such as being able to rely on local retailers’ expertise. Then the effects keep going. By shopping at local stores, you connect with your community. You strengthen your local economy. And finally, as the circle of ripples extends out, you cast a vote for the American dream. Here’s what happens when you shop with locally owned businesses:

You benefit from expertise. The perfect work boot. The new toy that’s sure to delight. The fantastic novel you hadn’t heard of. The best tool for the job. Get the right item and save time by relying on the expertise of local retailers.
You connect with your community. Shopping locally means bumping into friends, enjoying lively streets, playing in the toy store, and trading neighborhood news with the people behind the counter. Local businesses make communities work.
You strengthen your local economy. Local retailers hire local people, pay local taxes, and source goods locally. When you shop locally, you expand the opportunity where you live.
You cast a vote for the American dream. Starting a small business has long been a pathway to the middle class. By supporting local entrepreneurs, you invest in a future that works for all of us.

Alpine Communications believes strongly in the importance of supporting local businesses, and we thank you for choosing us as your communications provider. By working together, we can help our community thrive.