By Terry Asten Bennett–
We have all heard the term “shop small” or “shop local.” American Express made a whole to-do out of Small Business Saturday for years. But why should we shop small and shop local? It is so easy to sit on your couch at 2 am and put things in your Amazon Cart.
Sure, Amazon loves your money, but does Amazon love your community? Have you thought about the impact of your money when you spend it in your local businesses? Local stores, bars, and restaurants donate to the charities that matter to your community. They donate products, they donate space, they donate time and resources. Local stores hire local people. Local employees spend their money in other local businesses. It really is its own circle of life. When you shop locally it is truly an investment in your community.
After several brutal years of pandemic, a negative narrative about San Francisco, inflation, and the impact of tech layoffs, it has been a challenging year for your Castro businesses. So yes, this year more than ever it matters if you shop in the neighborhood.
Our Castro Merchants are fun, talented, creative, and resilient. When you shop in the Castro, you will find things you never knew you needed but simply can’t live without. Obviously, we have the best bars and nightlife! But we also have the most amazing services, hair, skin, nails, gyms, chiropractors … . And if you haven’t eaten in the Castro in a while, you will find we have really upped our food game. From breakfast to dessert (any time of day), we have you covered.
I know this sounds cliché, but shopping small and shopping local matter and they help keep your community vibrant. I challenge you to delete those items from your cart and go out into your community to shop. Your dollars really do go to work in your community.
Terry Asten Bennett is the General Manager of Cliff’s Variety and is the President of Castro Merchants.
Published on December 7, 2023
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