Connect to Your Community by Shopping Local

By Kat Puzey

I worked in corporate retail for ten years. My absolutely favorite time to work was on Black Friday and during the holiday season. I loved helping people shop for gifts, watching them get excited, and knowing that I was helping people have an amazing holiday.

The longer I stayed in retail, the more I began seeing the glaring disconnect between my values and the big box store structure. I remember standing at the back door of our store and accepting a delivery of 1,098 boxes. Each box was stamped “Made in Bangladesh‘’ or some other foreign country. Each box contained twenty shirts that were sprayed with weird smelling chemicals to make them wrinkle free and encased in their own plastic baggy. I remember standing there, looking at the mountain of waste, and thinking, “There must be a better way.” I vowed to slow down when my son was born.

That decision led me to get involved with our local farmers market. Each weekend, I was able to get to know our local farmers and artisans. I saw the blood, sweat, and tears poured into their crops and products. I heard their stories and watched their brands evolve.

Being entrenched in our local scene began to change my shopping habits. I began buying things because of the stories behind them and the connection I had to the producers. When I gave gifts to people, I was astonished by how much the recipient loved hearing the story behind the gift. It seemed to make everything more meaningful.

This led me to make the decision to always buy local for the holidays. It can be tricky, especially since generic “I want” lists don’t really lend themselves to small businesses; a lot of their items are one of a kind. But with a little bit of planning, shopping local can lead to an amazingly heartfelt holiday. Here are some tips to make it happen:

1. Shop more for an esthetic than a specific item. For each person on your shopping list, write five words that describe them or activities they love. Then, look for things that make you feel that way. Self-care junkies would love ritual teas, all natural beauty products, or bath bombs. The professional might like a leather notebook and locally made pen. The family foodie would appreciate amazing locally roasted coffee and a new morning mug.

2. Most local artists offer custom work. If you’ve had your eye on something or if a certain item speaks to you, most local artists are thrilled to take commissions. My only caveat to this is to ask early. A great deal of time and work go into making each piece, so start the custom ordering process now, and allot at least a month of wait time.

3. If you can’t get your custom work ordered in time, most locals offer gift cards so that your special someone can create the piece of their dreams.

4. Follow your local farmers market. Many close for the winter, but most do a holiday show or event. If they don’t, they are aware of the other local shows taking place and can direct you. Facebook Events also has filters that will help you find artisan events closest to you. While flea market events are great, most of the products they offer are resale items. Try and find events that specifically state “locally made.”

5. Find a co-op! Co-ops offer multiple vendors in one location and are usually staffed by the artists, making it possible for you to get in depth information on the items for sale. When we decided to open MoFACo, we brainstormed to create a model that helped local artists as much as possible. That’s how we determined that 85 percent of the sales price should go back to the artist. But because the other 15 percent goes directly to keeping the co-op running, 100 percent of your purchase stays local.

When you shop local, it takes a little bit more time. It is more of an investment, but the results are so worth it. I have seen the co-op and markets change lives. Local artisans are able to support their families, and more than that, they eventually partner with other local businesses to expand and strengthen our local economy.

Buying local builds a connection between you and your community. It anchors you to southern Utah by saying, “I am here, and this is my home.” You get to know all the truly wonderful things this area has to offer, and in a world where we need that connection more than ever, isn’t that the greatest gift you can give?

The Modern Farm and Artisan Co-op (MoFACo) is a southern Utah 501(c)3 non-profit committed to growing and supporting local artisanal businesses. It is located at 55 N. Main in St. George, Utah, and offers artisans an opportunity to be showcased in a prime real estate setting, helping them to grow their customer base. In addition, vendors are featured on the MoFACo website (https://mofacomobile.com), giving each artisan a powerful presence online. When you purchase from a MoFACo artisan, 100 percent of your purchase stays in the local economy. Every MoFA is carefully vetted and researched to make sure they represent the best southern Utah has to offer.