There are numerous advantages to shopping locally.
Throughout the years, The Grenada Star has strived to identify promotions and events that create interest in the Grenada County business community as well as help create additional revenue for those businesses.
In its latest effort, The Star is sponsoring a “Spend $25 on the 25th” promotion that is intended to drive sales of local retailers from open to close on Friday, Aug. 25 only.
Many people take for granted the advantages of shopping locally. Tax dollars generated in town aid in police and fire protection as well as public works projects such as clean streets and parks. In addition, local schools benefit from sales tax revenue. Shopping locally is also an advantage because the business owners and managers treat you like family and give you great customer service and added incentives such as free gift wrapping when you shop in their stores. Not to mention you save time and gas money not having to travel out of town.
With that in mind, the “Spend $25 on the 25th” promotion is designed to encourage local residents to open their wallets on Aug. 25, and spend money at local businesses. The newspaper has teamed up with nearly a dozen Grenada County businesses that are running advertisements on Aug. 16 and Aug. 23 promoting various products and services for only $25 in hopes of encouraging everyone to spend at least $25 locally during the all-day event. However, simply spending $25 may be tough.
There are so many great deals being offered next Friday, so I am confident many people will spend well over $100 locally. I encourage the local community to fully support this promotion and our local businesses. Take your family out to eat, buy early Christmas presents and stock up on the things you love.
When you shop at home, it helps boost the local economy because the money spent stays in the community. According to national statistics, locally generated money rolls over seven times among other local businesses.
Shopping locally, which increases the city and county’s tax base, also creates jobs because small, local businesses are the largest employers nationally. In addition, when shoppers open their wallets at local stores, they add to the character of their town and also support local community groups such as schools, civic and sports groups and other charities.
With more than 12,000 people living in Grenada and another nearly 10,000 people residing in the county, if everyone spent $25, that would mean $300,000 would be generated locally. If everyone in Grenada County handed over $25 next Friday, more than half a million dollars would be generated. I can’t imagine what that could do to the economy when it begins circulating to other businesses in town.
Ads for the “Spend $25 on the 25th” promotion are included in this edition of The Star on Page 10B. If you missed out, another promotion will be held soon.
Adam Prestridge is publisher of The Grenada Star. He can be reached at (662) 226-4321 or via email at aprestridge@grenadastar.com
