Time to remember local businesses

The pressure is on. Every business wants you and your money.

Even Black Friday is changing to get more of it.

This year the Black Friday sales on the day after Thanksgiving will start earlier than ever. In fact, in some cases, they are not starting on Friday at all. Some stores will be offering Black Friday sales on Thursday, Thanksgiving night.

Over the years, the opening hours for Black Friday have crept earlier and earlier in order to get the most shoppers.

A lot of people find the wide-open, aggressive, contact shopping an adventure. Many others shop on Cyber Monday, getting merchandise from far afield, from sellers with a “.com” behind their names.

The result is that a lot of money leaves local economies. In all the frenzy, chaos and manufactured hype of the season, some shoppers simply forget about their own local businesses and the need to support them.

A national ad campaign is currently reminding people to “shop small.” For years, this newspaper has encouraged people to “shop local.”

There is a reason for that. Local merchants give small towns their identity, and, throughout the year, they provide goods and services conveniently nearby. They are the first to support community causes and projects. They are first in line to support schools. Their taxes support civic services. Their payrolls support families and neighbors.

They make many things possible which without them would never be.

Rural communities have gone through some dramatic changes. Today, not every town in the county has a grocery store. That would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Towns have even found themselves without gas stations. Now, banks are endangered. These are tragedies for rural communities. They are tragedies that local residents can help to avert.

Rural residents who support their local merchants and businesses reap the rewards all year long. A vibrant local economy means a vibrant local community.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher