The Importance of Locally -Owned Businesses to the Community
We live in a world increasingly dominated by large businesses such as Amazon and Walmart that are able to attract people with very low prices and convenient online shopping, due to the fact they can operate on economies of scale. I myself, like many consumers, have relied upon big box stores for basic necessities out of economic need. Yet there still is a vital role for locally-owned businesses. As someone who works in a locally-owned daycare facility, I realize that there are certain services that can never be outsourced, like high-quality education of the very young. Daycare services in particular must inspire trust in the heart of parents.
This is true of all service-based businesses. Whether catering a wedding, cleaning houses, or selling bagels, local businesses can offer a personal touch to their services that are often lacking at formulaic, large chains. Local businesses bind communities together because they are staffed, managed, and owned by members of that community. When they cannot compete on price, they compete on quality, uniqueness, and individualization. Local banks offer loans to local entrepreneurs, who then employ community residents, who then go on to serve the community. It is a positive cycle of giving.
