From where I sit, there is NOTHING more important than supporting local businesses in Eagle Grove.
Buying goods and services locally keeps more money in the community–and we all know that.
But, let’s break it down more than that. Here’s what buying local does for our town.
When we buy local, we help Eagle Grove maintain a unique identity. No town ever got prettier or more fun to be in because a Walmart opened. Need proof? Google “People of Walmart” and let the cringe-fest begin. Our local businesses bring style, fun, and personality to Eagle Grove.
When we buy local, the money that stays here can be used for improvements to streets, buildings, amenities, and attractions. Simply put, if you want your town to be as good as the one you visit and fall in love with, you need to invest in it.
I know what people say–“I would shop locally more, but it’s soooo expensive.” And yes, a fair amount of the time the prices in a town the size of Eagle Grove are higher than big box stores or online marketplaces. But, when you consider how much money our businesses put back into our schools, fundraisers, improvements to the look and feel of the community, and fun events, both through the taxes they pay and through their own philanthropy, you can feel proud knowing you helped them do that, and know you’re returning the favor for each sports team season, raffle prize, and Summerfest they helped make possible.
I know we’ve seen businesses close up and relocate lately, and yes, some of that is due to the uncertainty and restrictions brought on by COVID-19–but, the fact is, many of these businesses were barely making it BEFORE the pandemic.
It is just plain not good enough to wish them well and think they’re neat ideas. “We have the coolest…but, I’ve never been in,” isn’t going to cut it. Neat ideas aren’t enough. Businesses cannot survive without money, and, quite frankly, they aren’t even able to see how much a community appreciates them when they’re worried if they can keep the lights on another month.
This is serious stuff, folks.
If we want “non-essential” businesses like bakeries and coffee shops and unique retail nearby; if we want to have fun things to do in our community, and nice places to go, and places to connect with our neighbors; if we want to be able to decide to enjoy a day close to home with our families instead of having no choice but to drive 30-90 minutes to shop…all of this is made possible by pledging to buy local at least a little, but ideally as much as possible.
We have a choice, and it’s buy local or bye bye local. Make the pledge to #supportyourlocaleverything50533 and #ShopEG whenever possible, and then watch all the good stuff that happens because of it.