Hometown for the Holidays

BY MARIA TIBBETTS

Whether you are eager for the upcoming holiday shopping season or dreading trying to find the right gift for the right person, look no farther than your local Main Street. Small towns have a lot to offer, and a more personal approach to helping you find the perfect present.

It may be tempting to travel to a larger city with malls and department stores, but small towns have a lot to offer, and they make an effort to encourage local shopping and support their small businesses. Whether it’s an open house, a parade, a selfie contest or a giveaway, they get creative with ways to draw people back to Main Street. Chamber of Commerce members work hard to spread the word about what

Small Towns Encourage Communities to Shop Local

their Main Street businesses have to offer to the community year-round, but especially during the holiday season.

Billie Jo Pew, executive director of the Glendive, Montana Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, said they plan an early November open house. “We also have plans in place for a light parade, provided the COVID situation does not worsen.”

“We have a fun holiday season here,” said Meseret Tegenu, interim director of the Buffalo, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce. “Our biggest goal is to get people to shop locally. Our holiday theme is Heritage Holiday this 2020 season.”

A “Button Strut” event is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Shoppers purchase a button for $5 that can be used at participating businesses for whatever special discounts or coupons they are offering. “Reverse Bingo” is another fun way that the Buffalo Chamber encourages hometown shopping; folks who spend a certain amount at participating businesses bring their receipts to the Chamber office to get gift certificates for different amounts. Businesses participate in a window decorating contest and community members get to vote on their favorites. The first Saturday in December, the Chamber hosts a free chili feed and a lighted Christmas parade following the meal.

“We have some great businesses here that offer unique items,” Tegenu said. “Our goal with these events is to get rural people in

town and try to keep our local people in town to do their shopping and have fun. Our board members are very proactive about going out into the community to encourage participation in these events.”

With COVID restrictions in place in many areas, shoppers concerned about staying healthy still have options to shop locally.

“We have a lot of businesses that have web pages or links to click to order and they offer shipping options as well,” Pew said. “Most are trying hard to be accommodating under the circumstances. There are a few that are not to the point of fully promoting their business online but most are still sharing posts about their business on social media. It’s still possible to shop local and support local businesses.”

Tegenu says that the Buffalo Chamber is proactive about helping local businesses maintain an online presence.

“We have a weekly e-blast that goes out to 5-6,000 people,” she said. “Word spreads fast to family and friends. We’re also proactive with Facebook posts and promotions to spread the word about what our local stores have to offer. Many businesses that don’t have a website still have a Facebook page.”

“We regularly hold shop local promotions and the holiday season is no exception,” said Dean Jacobs, executive director of the Valentine, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce. “We’re keeping an eye on the COVID situation but currently going forward with plans for our Holiday Preview on Nov. 22. We’re constantly reminding people how important it is to shop locally. These are the businesses that support our kids, be it a Little League team, a 4-H club or whatever. People need to understand that we need to support our Main Street businesses to be a thriving community.”

The town of Valentine is still considered a small town, even though it’s the largest town in well over a hundred-mile radius.

“I encourage people to give local businesses a chance,” Jacobs said. “Find out if we have it here. See if your local businesses can take care of your needs before you go elsewhere. We have a pretty solid downtown and a lot of great businesses here.”

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South Dakota Retailers Association executive director Nathan Sanderson says that in spite of COVID’s impact on South Dakota’s small businesses, most of which are in small towns, business owners are optimistic about the last two months of 2020.

“A lot of small-town businesses are taking the opportunity this year to expand what they are doing online,” he said. “With community events being changed or canceled due to COVID, they are trying to reach out in other ways.”

Sanderson said that many businesses are reaching out to customers online more than in the past.

“Facebook is a great place to look for local businesses,” he said. “You don’t need to go to Amazon to order Christmas gifts. We’re seeing a shift from offering seasonal items to businesses focusing on comfort-related items such as coffee and blankets, things that make people feel good. We’re also seeing a shift toward items that are geared toward a shared experience for families, such as board games or camping equipment.”

Sanderson says one of the real advantages of small-town South Dakota shopping is that customers and business owners know each other personally in many cases.

“People love personal attention,” he said. “They get that from small town business owners. They will find it if you need it and they are happy to special order things on request.”

COVID has had an impact on South Dakota’s small businesses and shoppers alike, but Sanderson says the South Dakota Retailers Association is seeing some positives too.

“COVID has refocused the way many people think,” he said. “The real value of looking to local businesses and communities is being realized. If there’s a silver lining to COVID, it’s that people all across South Dakota are coming back to the importance of family and togetherness.”

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