Today more than ever, I make a concerted effort to buy products and services locally.  As you can see by my restaurant reviews, I like to support independent establishments.  Being a small business owner myself, I realize how difficult it is for a small business to make it in today’s economy.

We have all witnessed the local Mom and Pop groceries fall by the wayside.  Local hardware stores have generally met the same fate.  The larger syndicated stores have an economic advantage in their ability to buy in larger quantities.  These larger quantities allow them to sell products at a cheaper price than a small independent store.

I personally prefer to shop at Kroger rather than Walmart, even though I know I could purchase at a lower price at Walmart.  Kroger is a responsible employer supplying good jobs with benefits and allowing employees to contribute back to society.

It really aggravates me when our local government entities buy services from an architectural firm from New York when the same services could be purchased locally.  The wages paid to employees could then be contributed back to our local community through sales and other local taxes, thus strengthening the local economy.

I also make a point of purchasing products produced in the United States.  This is my opinion, and I try to live by it!