Why is it important to shop local?

Why has it been important to shop local for us? We’ve noticed most of our customers are local to us and because of them we have been able to take on 3 sewers – creating three new jobs in Shropshire! So there is one reason already!

Our highstreets are disappearing, sadly Covid-19 has sped this up. Having local independent shops make a town unique and draws in visitors – tourism then puts money back into the economy which could be spent on schools and local services but we can help increase the circular economy by choosing to shop local ourselves. 

A street full of local shops creates a community, it feels nicer, its more fun and it is safer. It gives you confidence as everyone is supportive.

So what are the benefits of shopping locally?

1. Get to know a local business, meet new people – they will have more time for their customers then a big chain
2. Get a more personalized and better customer service as the company gets to know you. This also allows you to request unique items.
3. Be able to buy local produce means you know it is fresh and seasonal
4. By putting money into a local business you are putting money into a family – you could be paying for a child’s schools shoes, rather than a CEOS yacht!
5. If we support local business so they can grow we could be creating jobs – you could be putting your neighbor or child into employment
6. Receive better deals – you will be able to discuss prices rather then shopping big chain rigid prices
7. You can visit them, feel and see the products.
8. Can’t see what you are looking for? You can ask – local shops have control over what they make and what they order in!
9. The environment benefits, especially if services/goods are also produced locally. It means there is less travel time, less lorries, less carbon.
10. It encourages others to be entrepreneurs!

It’s not buying food and clothes locally but its using a local independent hairdresser’s or electrician. As a business you can use a local IT support company or printer.

How do we shop local?

We network each week with local businesses and we are always on the look out for how we can help other people.  From this we are now volunteering for a few local charities and helping run a couple of local events!  But what else do we do?

1. Use local suppliers – for example our IT supplier, Wisp IT, is local. Great when we need them to physically look at our laptops! And just this week they physically came to our office to review their service and make sure we are happy!
2. We work with Shrewsbury BID – turning old banners (such as Shrewsbury’s “We are Open” banners into new products.
3. We work with Zero Waste Events – taking waste fabric from local events to me remade into new products
4. 10% of all our proceeds go to Severn Hospice.
5. We volunteer our time and to local charity Natures Safe.

Next time you go shopping, or your business is looking at a new suppler think local, shop local!