For every $100 you spend on gifts this coming holiday season, wouldn’t you like to make an impact in our community? According to the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, for every $100 spent in a “locally owned business” nearly half — an impressive $45, in fact — stays within the community. Whereas, if you spend that same c-note at a chain store, only $13 of it stays here.
Mom-and-Pop businesses are the lifeblood of downtown. Shopping at them helps pay for their workers to live, raise families, buy their own things, and go to school. All of that good just by looking at our local, small-ish storefronts first.
Shopping locally builds community, and allows you to really get to know your neighbors. And there are two local groups working to reward you for shopping local even further.
Buy Local First Campaign
The Buy Local First campaign comes from the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition (CSC). Their goal is to keep the community informed as to which businesses are locally owned and what they have to offer. The hope is to promote stability in the city by keeping business in town while maintaining the unique character of the area.
This event once took place on a single Saturday in December, but now spans the entire Christmas Shopping season from the day after Thanksgiving through to Christmas Eve — Nov. 26 through Dec. 24.
Shoppers can go to corvallisbuylocal.com to view the map of participating businesses and to join the CSC Actionbound game to keep track of the businesses they visit. If you take a selfie at a participating business and share it on Facebook or Instagram with #buylocal2021, it will enter you in the contest to win a $250 prize. Alternatively, for those less social media savvy, paper entry forms will be available at the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce.
Last year, 30 local stores participated. Business owners that wish to participate can go to corvallisbuylocal.com to fill out a simple sign-up form and, if desired, provide the details of any special events or promotions they may be doing during the campaign’s run.
The Buy Local First Campaign is sponsored by The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, The Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op, and Remarkable Arts. The campaign is directed by the Buy Local First Planning Committee consisting of Annette Mills, Simon Date, Cindi Lolik, Adrienne Fritze, Talus Fritze-Moor, and Kate Lindburg.
Shop Small November
Also taking part in getting local shoppers out to local shops is the Downtown Corvallis Association (DCA) with their Shop Small November Campaign.
With 23 small businesses signed up, the DCA began their event this last Saturday, Nov. 13. What used to be a single day, known countrywide as Small Business Saturday, has been stretched out to a three week shopfest running until the end of November. The longer spree is great for anyone still worried about crowds in the continuing age of COVID, plus it gives everyone a better chance to win one of the gift baskets put together by the DCA.
Each basket contains goods from local businesses, and all you need to enter is seven stamps on your Shop Small Passport — located at participating businesses. Each stamp is earned by spending a minimum of $10 at a Shop Small Store.
Supply Chains
And what about all of the stories we hear on the news about supply chain delays?
“Supply chain issues vary so much by region and industry that it would be difficult to predict a general impact on a specific location,” said Kate Lindburg of the CSC. “To the extent that local businesses may be using locally-sourced materials, there will be less disruption, and of course our local service providers (yoga studios, financial advisors, etc.) are always available!”
Jennifer Moreland of the DCA said, “Yes, a lot of retailers have had a lot of trouble getting things they’ve ordered. We’re telling people to shop early this year.”
By Sally K Lehman
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