Shop Tucson and be a hero! That’s right. It’s as simple as that. Did you know shopping at locally-owned Tucson small businesses can actually be good for the environment? Or that shopping locally can actually help you the consumer?
And now more than ever, Tucson small businesses need your support so they can continue to rebuild and pivot as they climb out of the challenges of COVID. This year, it’s more important and easier than ever to shop small and support local businesses in Tucson and the surrounding community. And even if you can’t buy a gift card at your favorite local businesses, you can still help by commenting, liking and sharing forward their content on social media to encourage those who can shop to shop local. Be sure to use the hashtag #ShopLocalTucson and join Tucson’s online shop local movement. Just shop Tucson whenever possible!
And we’ve made it even easier to elevate your favorite businesses and increase awareness about shopping small. Just tell us a bit about a business we should feature on our social media channels, and we’ll do the rest. We have holiday guides, features, videos, and more planned to help your favorite small businesses reach more customers this holiday season!
This year, you can make a difference and join the movement that’s spurring people from around the world to “support local businesses,” a search query that Google says has increased exponentially globally. Did you know that in a recent survey 3 in 5 consumers say they plan to do at least half of their holiday shopping at locally owned businesses this year? Let’s hope that’s true, right?!
Here’s why shop Tucson is vital this holiday season … and beyond.
1. Keep Dollars in Tucson
When you shop at small businesses in Tucson, more of that money tends to stay in the community than if you made a purchase at a big box store. And on top of that, local businesses in Tucson are more likely to buy from other local businesses, so the local tax base in Tucson is more likely to grow and so are other local businesses. And we don’t really need to tell what a stronger local tax base means for schools, roads, and police and fire departments.
2. Support The Creation of Jobs in Tucson
Small businesses mean big job creation. Tucson startups are increasing in the area. Their success means more jobs will be created in the area. And if there are more jobs in your community or neighborhood, your friends and family can find work near home. Plus, again, that keeps local dollars local and means shorter commutes.
3. Better Choices For Tucson Consumers
So if you have a healthy community for small businesses, naturally, you’ll have more of those small businesses, and that means more choices, and, likely, better deals. Those smaller operations will be jockeying for local customers, which means better competition.
Plus, small businesses in Tucson sell wares from local artists and makers, which likely means you’ll have a great selection of stuff to choose from that you wouldn’t find in a big box store. And those local items are often painstakingly created, which means the quality is probably higher than the mass-produced stuff that’s made overseas in an attempt to achieve higher profit margins.
Some customers say they don’t shop local because they assume those stores aren’t selling what they need. But the opposite is usually true; local businesses in Tucson will often carry and stock those special trinkets and consumables you seek.
4. Tucson Businesses Care About Customers
Businesses understand that life isn’t perfect, so when you run into an issue with a product or service with a local business, would you rather deal with a big box store or a small business owner in Tucson? At a local business, things are more likely to be resolved (and will likely be a less stressful experience) because you might know the folks who run the store and can chat with them easily.
Plus building a relationship with small business owners can net you better service because they really care about their local customers. And, who doesn’t like to chat with a familiar friendly face? Right? It’s just one of the many reasons to shop Tucson!
5. Better For The Environment
Local brick-and-mortar businesses will probably be in a community or neighborhood center, which means less sprawl and less natural habitat loss. On top of that, you’ll probably use less gas getting to that local shop or even better cycle to your favorite small businesses when you shop Tucson!
6. Non-Profit Support
Shopping local Tucson means you’re supporting owners who care about where they live. And Tucson has pride that runs deep for their local culture and businesses! Local business owners tend to donate more to local nonprofits in the Tucson area, which obviously benefits the community but also might help your family, friends, and neighbors.
7. Time To Rebuild
Did you know shopping local can actually help you, too? Because local businesses help grow the economic base of the community, the dollars you spend with them might eventually find their way back to you. And that’s not all.
Towns that have a thriving business base are more likely to survive downturns, so shopping local can even keep your neighborhood safe and may even stabilize home values throughout the Tucson area.
You don’t have to shop locally every time to make an impact. Just having the mindset of doing business locally first is all it takes to start improving your community. Together, we really can make a difference. Be a #Tucson hometown hero this holiday season.
