By Gina Long
Gina Yells at Something
Ordering from home has become almost too easy. I’ve already got my holiday shopping under way and am looking for some unique gifts I can buy locally. Last year I found pretty much all my gifts in Hutchinson and picked up one particular item on a holiday trip to historic Guthrie, Okla.
This year I’m going to buy all my Christmas gifts from local businesses.
When I say “local,” I mean businesses that are owned and run by people here. These aren’t companies sending profits off to Bentonville, Cincinnati or Seattle. They’re businesses invested in our community, spending money locally and keeping the benefits here. They support local causes, help out with teams and events, and are owned by people I know and see around town.
I remember how downtown faltered when the mall opened in 1986. I remember how manufacturing jobs fled rural America. I remember how the locally owned stores that remained have now mostly moved downtown as the mall’s new owners have shifted toward a national retailer model.
Store names and products have changed over the years and shopping has changed with our culture and what we want.
This past weekend, I walked through downtown looking for holiday gift ideas. I enjoyed the crisp air and seeing people moving from shop to shop. I started with hot tea and milk at Sage River Market, had lunch at Carl’s, looked for a gently used camera bag, and checked out silicone baking dishes. I browsed jewelry, ate a cookie, picked up a package at the post office, and enjoyed the cool weather at Chester I. Lewis Plaza near the Fox Theatre.
When I moved back to Hutchinson in 2011, more than half of downtown was empty. The area didn’t have much character or a sense of unity.
Downtown is changing from just a business area to a place where people live too, with new loft apartments. The restored Landmark building opened this year with almost forty apartments and has added or is in the process of adding an ice cream and treats shop, a Prohibition-style speakeasy and an Italian restaurant coming soon. Across the street, an 80s-themed arcade will open later this year. Stores and entertainment spots are moving in alongside professional offices. The Fox Theatre brings in crowds for live shows, and now people can have dinner before the show and visit nearby places afterward.
Full storefronts and the energy they bring make downtown feel better, but shopping at small businesses does more than just improve the look and mood. Small business owners take risks and bring new ideas. They sell local products for people who can’t open their own shops. They offer quality items you often can’t find online, where searches favor paid ads and lower-quality goods. Most importantly, many downtown shops carry locally made products, from jewelry to food.
Every time you buy local you’re voting for the kind of town we live in. You’re supporting your neighbours, your community and your town.
One easy way to begin is to spend an afternoon walking through downtown and checking out the shops for gift ideas. You could visit a holiday market or try just one new store this week. Taking that first step really does make a difference.
If mobility is an issue, curbside parking is generally abundant. Not long ago, I could barely walk from the curb to the store. Now I enjoy the luxury of stretching my legs, so I prefer to park on a side street or in a city-owned lot.
Give local businesses a try. Multibillion-dollar corporations and their huge box stores won’t notice, but your local entrepreneurs will.
Gina Long is the co-founder The Hutchinson Tribune, a reference librarian, a Smallville Festival organizer, and a history nerd. She can be reached at ginalong.ne@gmail.com.