It pays to support local businesses this holiday season

Dear editor:

As Black Friday and the holiday season approaches, I’d like to offer a friendly challenge to my fellow residents of Basin and Greybull.

We all shop online—it’s convenient and sometimes necessary. But what if we each chose just three to five gifts this year to buy locally instead? Imagine the collective impact that small shift could make for our hometown businesses.

Local restaurants, bakeries, cafes, little boutique shops and retail stores, salons, meat processing, local grocery stores, car detailing, dog grooming, hardware stores, pharmacies, all offer meaningful gifts. Many will even special order something for you if you ask. 

Go to your local craft and vendor shows, that are just full of incredible gifts our friends and neighbors make and produce. It’s not about boycotting online shopping — it’s about balance, and about keeping more of our holiday dollars right here in our community.

Local spending means more support for our neighbors, more jobs, and stronger small-town economies. These are the stores that give back to our communities, offer local sponsorships, support our teams, donate to local fundraisers. Family Dollar and Dollar General do not contribute to these causes, nor does Walmart or Amazon; everything is funneled to corporations. 

By shopping local, it’s a way of saying: We care about the future of Basin and Greybull.

So I’m taking the challenge — and I hope you will too. 

Choose three to five gifts to buy locally this season. It may seem like a small act, but together, it adds up to something powerful.

Shop with heart. Shop local.

Sincerely,

Danae Bales, President

Basin Heritage Initiative