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SMALL BUSINESS MONTH - SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2026
Buying local offers more chances to find something unique.
REASONS TO SHOP LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Holiday shoppers have no shortage of retailers competing for their dollars come December. The National Retail Federation estimated 2025 holiday spending exceeded $1 trillion, and there’s little reason to suspect 2026 spending won’t match or exceed that amount.
W ith so much money being spent, retailers have much to gain from attracting holiday shoppers. While big-box stores and online retailers may beckon shoppers louder than anyone this December, there are plenty of reasons to shop lo - cally when buying gifts for loved ones during the holiday season. • Buying local benefits communities. Communities benefit when shoppers spend their money at locally owned businesses. Ac - cording to the Local Business Institute, $48 of every $100 spent at a locally owned business recirculates in the community. That means supporting one business in your community indirectly leads to supporting others. And residents should know that a thriving local business sector is great for property values, as buyers tend to be willing to pay more to live in locations with successful shops, cafés and restaurants.
• Buying local encourages additional investment. New Jer - sey-based Spencer Savings Bank notes the appeal of already thriving business sectors on other entrepreneurs seeking to open their businesses. By supporting existing local businesses now, residents are helping to establish a foundation for future eco - nomic growth within their communities. The holiday season is a particularly lucrative time for businesses of all sizes, so that makes it a perfect time for locals to support the establishments in their community. • Buying local offers more chances to find something unique. Buying local also pays more immediate dividends come the holiday season. Big box stores and online retailers sell the same items to people regardless of where they live, whereas inde - pendently owned local businesses tend to feature more unique items that can only be found in their stores. Shoppers looking for unique gifts may find them at local businesses.
• Buying local benefits the environment. Eco-conscious holiday shoppers should know that buying local is often beneficial for the environment. Locally crafted and purchased items will not require as much packaging as items purchased from big box stores or online retailers that must protect products from the wear and tear of long-distance travel. And that travel also has a negative impact on the environment, as the longer distance it takes to get a product from a warehouse to a consumer’s home, the greater the environmental impact. The holiday season is a lucrative time of year for retailers, and there are numerous reasons why shoppers should focus their buying power on local businesses this year and in the years to come. ●
LEFTMADE / ADOBE STOCK
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