By Jesse Wood
When the supply of “Shop Local,” “Dine Local” and “Give Local” stickers showcased around town went out of stock, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce brainstormed before blindly ordering more batches of the old stickers.
Instead, Chamber President Dan Meyer said personnel in the organization looked around to see what’s missing from the sticker designs that could benefit the High Country.
“One of them was hire local,” Meyer said.
The new design incorporates all four phrases: shop, dine, give and hire local. The stickers are currently being printed and should be ready for distribution in the High Country by the weekend.
“We encourage everybody to use it,” Meyer said.
The unveiling of the new logo comes on the eve of Small Business Saturday, which takes place the day after Black Friday, and the local campaign, Shop Local Saturday, which takes place during the holiday season – in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The chamber always encourages folks to put up the local signs during the holiday season to remind consumers that doing business in your hometown “makes dollars and sense,” Meyer said.
“We encourage people to keep their money right here in Boone,” Meyer said.
A few years ago, the Boone Area Chamber began promoting the “Shop Local – Closer is Better” tag line that is also featured on the new stickers. This idea sprang from American Express’ ‘Small Business Saturday,’ which takes place in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
While American Express rolled out the campaign in hopes of more people using that brand of credit card, Meyer said, “Our interest is in supporting everybody regardless of how you pay and we want to encourage everybody to think local.”
In an op-ed, Gregg Thompson, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business who is based out of Raleigh, gave his take on some of the differences between Black Friday and Small Business Saturday:
“Black Friday, of course, is when families to wake early, sit in traffic, compete with other drivers for decent parking spots, jostle with crowds and stand in line to buy things probably no one asked for or really wants.
Small Business Saturday is the opposite of that. Small Business Saturday is when you shop at small, locally-owned businesses for things you simply can’t find at the mall, and instead of dealing with temporary workers who don’t know the merchandise, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner who cares very much about making you happy so you’ll come back time and again throughout the year.”
Thompson pointed out that when you shop local, you are supporting your community and its individuals, such as your neighbors and their family, instead of some corporate headquarters in another part of the country.
“This year, make a difference in your community. Shop local on Small Business Saturday,” Meyer said.
The Downtown Boone Development Association emailed the logo to downtown merchants for them to post in their storefront windows if they like.
The DBDA noted the importance of shopping locally:
- When you purchase at locally owned businesses more money is kept in the community and purchasing local helps grow other businesses.
- Environmental impact is reduced.
- Small, local businesses are the largest employers nationally.
- Local business owners invest in the community.
Virginia Falck, downtown coordinator for the Town of Boone, said that the Jones House will be open on Friday, Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to “assist shoppers with information, provide restroom facilities and complementary refreshments.”
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