Shop Local: Because They Said To?

I love Northern Colorado. It is my home, and I want the very best for it. It is unique, beautiful, and full of good energy. Great people, schools, businesses. Really, we live in one of the truly special places. There has been a big push here to ‘Shop Local.’ I get it. The thought is that locally based businesses care more about our community and employ local people. (Hey, the big companies employ local people too.)

The thinking continues, that when we spend money at local businesses, the bulk of that money will stay here, circulating through the local economy; helping our area to flourish. I understand all of that, and appreciate the thought behind it. I even agree with most of it.

What I do not appreciate, is being felt as though I should feel guilty if I do not ‘Shop Local.’ I actually do lean in the ‘buy local’ direction, and shop at locally owned businesses whenever I can – but it’s not my responsibility to shop locally, it’s the business’s responsibility to ensure that I want to. It's the same responsibility we have where I work; to find ways for customers to want to do business with us.

Fish in Old Town makes me want to shop locally right now. I have had enough turkey. I need oysters. What time do they open today?

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