Shop Local 2016

THE ULTIMATE

BLACK SHOP

FRIDAY

L A C LO “CLOSER IS

TER T E B

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2016

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Everything your family needs for Christmas is less than 30 minutes away!

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Enjoy life! Shop at home this Christmas!

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SHOP LOCAL | COMMUNITY IMPACT

Why Shopping Local Matters

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t’s easy to forget that shopping local helps your community and state in many, many ways. From tax dollars to supporting mom-and-pop businesses, the benefits are myriad.

SPEND LOCAL AND MORE STAYS LOCAL

Numerous studies have analyzed the way money recirculates, and most agree that money spent locally has a much higher chance of staying in the community.

A study commissioned by the British Columbia division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees found that for every $1 million in sales, independent retail stores generate $450,000 in local economic activity, compared to just $170,000 for chains. Among restaurants, the figures are $650,000 for independents and $300,000 for chains.

Across both sectors, this translates into about 2.6 times as many local jobs created when spending is directed to independent businesses instead of chains. The study concludes that a shift of just 10 percent of the market from chains to independents would produce 31,000 jobs paying $940 million in annual wages to workers.

MORE STABLE JOBS Economists at Yale University and the University of Bristol found that in times of high unemployment, small businesses both retain and create more jobs than large firms. During the recession of March 2008 to March 2009, the em-

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ployment growth rate of large employers fell 1.65 percent more than the growth rate of small employers, compared with the previous year. In every other recession and recovery period in the study’s sample, large firms took years to recover relative to small firms.

IT’S BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY A study by a professor at Baylor University found strong positive relationships between local ownership, firm size and employee loyalty, which they refer to as organizational commitment.

Using data from a nationally rep-

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resentative public opinion survey, the study found that 57.2 percent of small firm workers scored in the highest commitment category, compared to 40.5 percent of large firm workers. They found a similar relationship for ownership, with 56 percent of workers at locally owned firms having high commitment scores, compared with just 38.7 percent of workers at non-locally owned firms.

When the researchers plotted the scores on a 16-point commitment scale, the authors found that, together, the two civic measures accounted for as much as a 1.7 point increase in organizational commitment, effects.

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SHOP LOCAL | GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT

Celebrate the Holidays

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rea residents and visitors alike are invited to attend the area’s many holiday celebrations. For a comprehensive list of local events, pick up a copy of the Mountain Times or the Watauga Democrat and look for the calendar section.

NOVEMBER 21

TREE FEST: Nov. 21 through the holiday season. The Ashe Arts Center will be decked out in its finery again this year starting Nov. 21 and can be viewed Monday through Saturday throughout the holiday season.

Decorated trees, handmade ornaments, holiday crafts, gifts and miniature paintings are on display. An opening reception takes place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Ashe Arts Center is located at 303 School Ave. in West Jefferson. For more information, visit ashecountyarts.org.

NOVEMBER 24 STATE PARK: Grandfather Mountain State Park will host a two-mile round-trip hike from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 24. Meet at the Boone Fork parking area, just north of the 300 milepost on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Appropriate for all ages; younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. No pets. Information: grandfather.mountain@ncparks.gov or (828) 963-9522.

TURKEY TROT: The High Country Turkey Trot will be held on Thanksgiving Day at 9 a.m. at the Clawson-Burnley Park on the Boone Greenway Trail. It will be a 5K and fun run and walk. Information: Todd Carter at todd@hosphouse.org; or HCTurkeyTrot.org.

NOVEMBER 25 HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock will host a number of special events during Thanksgiving weekend. On both Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26, events will include horse and carriage rides around Chetola Lake (5:30 to 9:30 p.m.), visits with Santa Claus (5:30 to 9:30 p.m.) and cookie decorating (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.). The weekend also marks the beginning of Chetola’s Festival of Lights. For more information, call (828) 295-5505 or visit www.chetola.com.

HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS: The annual Hometown Christmas will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at the West Jefferson Backstreet Park. It’s the official lighting of the community Christmas tree with Santa, carolers and hot chocolate.

LIGHTING: The town of Blowing Rock will hold its annual “Lighting of the Park” celebration on Nov. 25. The event includes a visit with Santa Claus in the gazebo (2 to 4 p.m.), hayrides (2 to 7 p.m.), bounce house in the park (2 to 5:30 p.m.), live music (3 to 7 p.m.), free hot chocolate and cider (4 to 7 p.m.) and the ceremonial lighting of the town tree and park (5:30 p.m.). Information: (828) 295-5222.

NOVEMBER 26 MUSIC: Mountain Home Music’s Celtic Christmas and Appalachian Christmas Concerts will be held Nov. 26 and Dec. 3. Each year, Joe Shan4 SHOP LOCAL 2016

non’s Mountain Home Music welcomes the community and visitors to ring in the season with two holiday-themed concerts. The first, A Celtic Christmas, features singer-songwriter and guitarist John Doyle at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (170 Councill St.) in Boone. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students.

Then, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, a free concert, An Appalachian Christmas, features multiple artists at Grace Lutheran Church (115 E. King St.) in Boone. The event benefits the Hospitality House and Santa’s Toy Box. Donations will be accepted. For more information and tickets, visit www.mountainhomemusic.com.

HOLIDAY MARKET: Buckeye Recreation Center at Beech Mountain will host its 10th annual holiday market from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 26, featuring crafts, artisans and unique gifts. Information: (828) 387-3003 or email recassistant@townofbeechmountain.com.

KILN OPENING: Bolick and Traditions Pottery will host their annual Thanksgiving kiln opening beginning at 10 a.m. Nov. 26 in the Blackberry community, just south of Blowing Rock. The wood-fired kiln will be emptied and all of its wares will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is free and will include craft demonstrations, food and drinks and live music. Information: (828) 295-6128.

PARADE: Blowing Rock’s Christmas parade will be held at 2 p.m.

Nov. 26. The parade will wind its way down Main Street from the Mellow Mushroom to the Edgewood Cottage. Blowing Rock Parks and Recreation is now accepting entries for the parade. Information: (828) 295-5222.

TREE FESTIVAL: A Festival of Trees will be held Nov. 26 at the Rock Gym in Newland.

DECEMBER 1 FESTIVAL OF TREES: The Festival of Trees returns to Chetola Resort in early December. Admission is by donation, and attendees may bid to win uniquely decorated holiday trees, wreaths and gift baskets. Proceeds will benefit the Western Youth Network, a local nonprofit. The Festival of Trees takes place on Dec. 1 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.; Dec. 2 from 2 to 9 p.m.; Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.chetola.com/calendar.

DECEMBER 2 TREE LIGHTING AND PARADE: Downtown Boone’s Christmas celebration begins with a tree lighting on the Jones House Community Center lawn at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2. The event coincides with the monthly First Friday event at downtown art galleries and businesses.The next day is the Downtown Boone Christmas Parade. The parade along King Street begins at 11 a.m. Dec. 3, with hot cider and other refreshments at the Jones

House Community and Cultural Center to follow. For more information, visit www.downtownboonenc.com.

FESTIVAL: The town of Banner Elk will host its annual Christmas Festival on Dec. 2 and 3. Caroling will take place at 6 p.m. on Dec. 2. Highlights for Dec. 3 will include a 5K Reindeer Run sponsored by Williams YMCA and a parade of lights at 6 p.m. Information: Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce at (828) 898-8395 or visit www.bannerelk.org.

DECEMBER 9 BONFIRE: The town of Crossnore will hold its annual Christmas bonfire on the night of Dec. 9. The event will feature caroling and warm drinks and cookies.

DECEMBER 25 STATE PARK: Grandfather Mountain State Park will host a guided Christmas Day photo scavenger hunt from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 25. Meet at the Profile Trail parking area, N.C. 105 South, Banner Elk. Information: www.ncparks.gov or ncparkphotohunt@gmail.com. Weather dependent.

Children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. No pets.

JANUARY 1 STATE PARK: Grandfather Mountain State Park will hold a two-mile round-trip hike at 9:45 a.m. on Jan. 1. Meet at the gravel parking lot on Holloway Mountain Road, one mile north of the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance ramp. If there are several inches of snow, the hike will be led as a snowshoe hike. A few pairs of snowshoes will be available for use. Information: (828) 963-9522.

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TEN REASONS ‘Closer Is Better’ 1. Local Economic Stimulus. When you purchase at locally owned businesses rather than nationally owned, more money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses, service providers and farms. Purchasing local helps grow other businesses as well as the local tax base.

2. Non Profits Receive Greater Support. Local business owners donate more to local charities than non-local.

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3. Unique Businesses Create Character & Prosperity. The unique character of your local community is defined in large part by the business that reside there, and that plays a big factor in your overall satisfaction with where you live and the value of you home and property.

4. Environmental Impact Is Reduced. Small local business usually set up shop in the town/village center, providing a centralized variety that is much friendlier to a community's walk score than out of town shopping malls. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

5. Most New Jobs Are Provided By Local Businesses. Small local businesses are the largest employers nationally. Plus the more jobs you have in your local community the less people are going to have to commute which means more time and less traffic and pollution.

6. Customer Service Is Better. Local businesses often hire people with more specific product expertise for better customer service. You are also going to see these people around town and they are less likely to blow you off or be rude becauses they have to face you day after day.

7. Local Businesses Invest In Community. Local businesses are operated by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community's welfare and future.

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8. Public Benefits Far Outweigh Public Costs. Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure and more efficiently utilize public services relative to chain stores.

9. Competition And Diversity Leads To More Consumer Choices.

A marketplace of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.

10. You Matter More. We talk a lot about exerting influence with your 2015

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purchasing choices, or "voting with your wallet." It's a fact that business respond to their customers but your values and desires are much more influential to you local community business.

To read more about going local check out ecolocalizer.com, a great site that provides news, ideas and inspiration to "Think globally, act locally." Information from the Chamber’s everGREEN Committee.

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SHOP LOCAL | SPREAD THE WORD

Share Your Passion

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now a great local business? Don’t be silent about it. Small businesses need your help, so open up and help spread the word any time you’re impressed by a locally owned shop.

NOTICE THE DETAILS

In many ways, it’s the small things that make the best local shops stand out. They might greet their frequent customers by name, stock products that no other stores offer, donate their time and money to worthy local causes and provide a more unique shopping experience that the cookie-cutter chain stores can’t match.

Look for these things when you’re out shopping, and let your 8 SHOP LOCAL 2016

friends know when you find them.

You’ll be helping your friends out and doing your part to keep your favorite businesses open and thriving.

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest have opened new doors for spreading the word about your favorite businesses. In fact, online is where a lot of word-ofmouth marketing happens these days as friends share and photo-

graph their everyday shopping trips — for better or worse.

If you run across a local business that’s doing a great job, snap a picture or write a post about it.

A few good words on social media can have a positive impact for the “shop local” movement in your community.

IT MATTERS Studies have shown that buyers trust recommendations from their friends and family far more than

they do messages from strangers.

Your opinion carries a lot of weight with the people you know, so you can play a big role in helping people avoid the bad shops and flock to the good ones.

So this Christmas, don’t do your shopping in a communications vacuum. Look for the best products and experiences in your community this holiday season and share them with the people around you.

Your friends — and some smallbusiness owners — will thank you.

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SHOP LOCAL | GIFT IDEAS

Local gift cards

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f you’re totally stumped for a gift selection, there’s nothing wrong with snagging a gift card and tossing it in a greeting card. There’s no rule, however, that says you have to buy a card from a chain restaurant or big box store. Think local for an easy gift solution.

CHECK LOCAL SHOPS

Most local stores have started offering gift card options for customers, be it a rechargeable card or just a gift certificate signed by the manager. Regardless, it can make for a more personal gift than just a generic gift card. If you find a store you think your loved one would really like but can’t find the perfect gift, just get a gift card and let them enjoy shopping and picking out their favorite items on your dime.

A gift card to a local store can be a much more personal gift, and it also takes some of the guesswork out of gift-buying. Plus, it supports a local business.

DON’T FORGET RESTAURANTS Most local restaurants also offer gift cards, and a free lunch is a great gift. Aim

high on this one; pick out a place you really think they’ll like, and let them indulge with a nice meal as a gift from you.

Be it a great, highly rated local restaurant or a beloved hole in the wall that has the best burgers in town, get creative and choose something that complements the taste of the recipient.

COFFEE SHOPS, BAKERIES If you want to offer a bit more of a snack, pick up a gift certificate to a local coffee shop or bakery, Just make sure the place is good (maybe test out a few pastries before you pick up the card). A $20 or $30 gift card can stretch a good distance at a coffee house or bakery.

Try to think of a place that might be on your friend’s commute, as well, so they’ll have a chance to use it and take full advantage of your clever gift.

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If you find a store you think your loved one would really like but can’t find the perfect gift, just get a giftcard and let them enjoy shopping and picking out their favorite items on your dime.

SHOP LOCAL | DO YOUR PART

Join a Local Movement I

t’s easier than ever to find a local movement supporting the act of shopping locally. Joining one is even easier.

In most cases, the best way to show love for your local business is to buy from them. And the holidays are a great time to give back to your small business community by spending your hard-earned dollars there.

But what happens when you go beyond the purchase? How much can you achieve by becoming an actual voice in the conversation promoting the act of shopping locally into the mainstream?

JOIN THE MISSION Community-focused organizations like Independent We Stand or the Small Business Administration are continually seeking volunteers to help get the word out on their efforts.

The websites of both organizations offer guidance on how to become involved in their activities. Choosing to devote your time or resources toward the overall growth of the small business landscape can have a big impact on your community.

CITY & TOWN MOVEMENTS Many of the nation’s largest cities – and small ones in between – have put together strong ‘shop local’ campaigns to motivate and mobilize their community members. These initiatives can range from a simple one-day event or a full-fledged, year-long effort to publicize the importance of shopping locally during the holiday season.

Does your community sponsor a small business board in addition to its chamber of commerce? Do you have opportunities to promote your favorite small businesses to your own customers, partners or management teams?

BECOME AN ADVOCATE If there are no major movements in your area, you can still become an advocate for your favorite local shop. And you can do so in creative ways.

Many national organizations conduct large-scale contests to award the most innovative small businesses across the country. Grant money, new

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equipment or free advertising can be among the prizes doled out for winning entries.

Be on the lookout for such promotions and alert your small business owners when you find one.

You can also take your message or positive purchasing experience to social media. This is another way of promoting your favorite small business to the masses.

Authentic, unforced customer referrals can be the best form of advertising for a small business, so share often.

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