Oh wouldn't it be wonderful if every little shop in every little town were filled with every little thing that we needed? Shopping local would be as easy as it was back in the Good Ole Days!
Sadly the face of small town America has changed over the years and many of the Mom and Pops shops that were once thriving businesses are now struggling to stay afloat. Most people don't give a second thought to packing up the Honda and heading to the big city to fill their carts at the Big Box stores and when I say "most people" I am including myself.
This being said, it is hard to shop local when the local stores don't have what you need.
When the Wal-Mart in our little town closed it's doors the cries could be heard for miles. No one could fathom what we would do without it!! What will happen if we run out of milk? What if we need lightbulbs?? Ahhhh, we are out of diapers!!! Time to start thinking outside of the Big Box Store. We have 2 local grocery stores that sell milk, the local hardware store sells lightbulbs and diapers can easily be found at the Dollar General. We have resources for these things.
The harder conquests are specialty items, apparel, gifts & furniture. What ever shall we do?!?!
Being as though we are also a baseball town I will throw out this approach: Build it and they will come.
The Fancy Farmer was a vision long before the local demise of Wal-Mart and it is by no means a replacement to that entity. What it is, is a local resource. An option. An opportunity.
We don't carry milk or lightbulbs or diapers. We do carry birthday cards, hand dipped chocolates, seasonal decor, school spirit clothes and Miss Me jeans! If you need a baby shower gift, a birthday present or new purse we can help you out! If you are heading to the High School for a Christmas program and can't find jewelry to match your dress, we've got you covered. If you can't think of what to get the guy who has everything for the holidays...chances are, we have options for you!!
Shopping local is a mindset. It takes practice. It also takes business owners being forward thinkers and providing the community with the necessary items so that shopping local is easy!
If you need a $5.00 bracelet or a $100 wallet, both options need to be accessible.
Baxter Springs, KS has a lot of potential. There are plenty of store fronts that would be perfectly suited for the frills and thrills of the big city shops. This can be a destination town if we paint the vision vibrantly enough.
Join me won't you...Shop local.
