Quite simply, it encourages prosperity and improves the quality of life where it means the most, in New Boston. In a world where people are feeling less impactful, a way to contribute to improving one’s quality of life and improving our surroundings, is by “voting with one’s dollars.”

The following are reasons why you should, before leaving New Boston or shopping on-line to buy a product, eating or using a service outside of New Boston, ask your self can I get this in our community?

Keep Money Local: Sales taxes fund our community and help provide vital services such as police and fire protection, street repairs, economic/ community development, and parks. Shop locally, the 1.5% sales tax levied for the local city government services helps improve New Boston, not other cities.

Shopping at local small businesses has a larger economic impact locally than larger stores. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, when you spend $100 at a small business, $48 stays in the community. Spend the same $100 at a big-box store or national retailer and only $14 stays.

Why? Because local businesses rely on other local businesses. With national or multi-national firms, a percentage of that profit ‘leaks’ out of the community.

With high gas prices, shopping locally uses less gas and saves money.

Local Investment: Local businesses are less susceptible to national downturns and more likely to work harder to stay open. Local ownership means that important decisions are made by people who live in our community and feel the impact of those decisions. Local business owners often sell local products, which helps preserve the community’s distinction and creates more jobs locally.

Discover Interesting Things and People: Oneof- a-kind shops and restaurants are part of what makes our community a wonderful place to live. Getting to know store owners is a great reason to shop locally. It is their business; they are decision-makers, and they build a personal relationship with their customers. Local business owners are well informed about their products and know what they are selling. Because they know their customers, they can easily adjust their inventories to include the goods and services local people want to buy.

Diverse Products: Local stores carry inventory you might not find at national chain stores. Local business owners choose products based on what their customers want and often carry unique items from local artists and farmers.

Increased Expertise: Shopping at a local store means you can get an expert opinion about the products that you are purchasing. Local shop owners must be experts in their field to compete. Create Community: We are a transitory society, so people do not always have a connection with the communities where they live. Shopping locally builds relationships which builds community. Local business owners do what they do because they are passionate about their products and typically take more time to get to know their customers. They will often go the extra mile to help you and to ensure you are a satisfied customer.

Other ways to contribute and upcoming actions: When possible, especially at mom-and pops, use cash. Debit and credit cards charge owner fees to use these payment methods.

Join the New Boston Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce supports New Boston businesses, providing events and networking opportunities.

Buy a subscription with the Bowie County Citizens Tribune. Our local newspaper is where local businesses advertise and enjoy positive stories about our community…like this informative opinion piece!

The New Boston Special Industrial and Community Development Corporations are partnering with the Chamber of Commerce to implement a Shop New Boston 1st campaign which will kick off later this month.

When you like a local business or receive good products and services, post it on social media (e.g., Yelp, Google, local Facebook community pages).

Use your word of mouth to share your likes and recommend business to friends.

All these actions and reasons develop a more “circular economy” where we can improve our community and quality of life, by voting with our dollars. Vote and Shop New Boston 1st!