We’ve all been told to shop local. Do you know why?
For starters, on a most basic level, we should want to support our neighbours and friends. Everyone knows at least one person who owns a business.
If a business is successful it shares the “wealth” by spending dollars at other local businesses. Employees then spend at another local business. The economy of our community depends on all of us to at least try to buy local first, before going online or hopping on a ferry.
If we continue to go out of town to shop, we will have local shops closing. With no need for employees, families will then have to move to find employment.
I’m sure we all agree there are potholes in many of our streets; that will get much worse with a lower commercial and residential tax base for the city to draw from.
In today’s ever-changing business climate, most small business owners find themselves working even harder to keep their businesses afloat.
Small businesses need customers more than ever. With Amazon-style shopping for virtually anything and the convenience of clicking a keyboard to order everything from clothes, toys, books and even food, we may soon be seeing more small businesses closing their doors.
As Powell River Chamber of Commerce manager for the last 19 years, I have sadly watched businesses close, good businesses that just didn’t get the customer base needed.
The chamber is a not-for-profit, self-sustaining, membership-driven organization governed by a diverse volunteer board of directors, all whom are affiliated in some way to a local business.
People sometimes ask me what the chamber of commerce is. Why does it exist? What is its function? Anyone over 40 years old probably knows these answers.
Most newer entrepreneurs are dealing with the everyday challenges of their existence: keeping up with the trends, competitiveness, staff shortages, taxes and maybe most importantly, moderating their social media. They are too busy to join anything.
I truly believe the chamber is one of the most important organizations a community can have.
Why? Local businesses are the roots of a community: the food we eat, shoes on our feet and clothes on our backs. Without businesses we are nothing.
The chamber of commerce’s very existence depends on the health and vibrancy of the business community it serves. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that began in 1931 when 60 local business people organized to help the community survive conditions brought on by the Great Depression. By 1960, this organization evolved into the Powell River Chamber of Commerce.
We continue to educate people as to why they need to keep their pay cheques in their own community and continue to nourish a positive business environment with our ability to support, connect and promote.
Although the chamber is not the official tourism centre, we are regularly mistaken for it. The chamber is uniquely positioned, in our little blue A-frame beside the ocean, to be a bridge between the steady stream of arriving tourists and awaiting local businesses. Literally, the chamber supports businesses by telling people where to go and which business has the service or product they seek.
If we do not support local businesses, we lose businesses and we lose jobs. It’s a scary realization.
I hope people continue to shop local or one day our community will have no stores to walk into and everyone will be sitting at home waiting for their packages to be delivered.
Then again, where will they work?
Kim Miller is the manager at Powell River Chamber of Commerce.
