Archive for March, 2011

I’ve been wanting to rant about the mailers I’ve been receiving recently proclaiming to be “buy local” but filled with advertisements for corporate chain stores.  I doubt anyone is confused or surprised by such rhetoric but just to be clear: supporting “local” businesses does not mean businesses that happen to exist in one’s community.  By “local” I generally mean (I feel no need for a rigid definition): owned by people who live in the community (ie locally owned) and created by people who live in the community (not corporate chains or franchises).  These businesses tend to be small in scale and often the owners work the business (not just a financier).  There is an economic benefit to supporting these businesses and also a cultural benefit.  Neither of these benefits exist when “buying local” at corporate chains.  Since people are increasingly aware that supporting local businesses improves their communities there will be no shortage of corporate chains trying to convince people to “buy local” at their businesses.  I doubt this will be effective and I wish I didn’t have to get so much junk mail from their efforts.