Spend some time and money locally

The holiday shopping season is upon us and like every other year, people are going to be inundated with huge advertising campaigns designed to convince shoppers that it’s a good idea to go to a store on Thanksgiving night for a killer deal.

I’m not the sort of person to look down on someone to going out and buying a brand new television or whatever this year’s most wanted and impossible to find toy is, but I do think the community should spend some time and money locally.

Green River’s hometown businesses have a lot to offer. From baked goods to sporting goods, there’s almost something for everybody on a person’s shopping list. While a lot of downtown has to offer doesn’t involve action figures with 100 points of articulation or whatever video game that the kids are willing to stand outside in subfreezing temperatures just to buy at midnight, the small businesses in Green River and Rock Springs can fill many, if not all, of the gifts on a person’s list. Outdoor supplies, games, art, music and spirits of the distilled type are just some of the things a person can find in the locally owned shops across Sweetwater County.

Sure, a person can spend their entire holiday budget at a big box store or online, but where does that money end up going? Outside of Green River and the state most often. It goes off across the county into corporate coffers or ultimately winds up in Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ bank account. It doesn’t come back, except for the few pennies of sales tax that trickle their way from Cheyenne.

Money spent locally stays locally. It goes to support people who work in one of the most difficult professions available to a person -- being a small business owner.

They are the sort who, as I’ve previously said, work a full day at their business then volunteer in community initiatives after work.

They support the school district, the chamber of commerce, Green River Main Street and a variety of other organizations and causes. Small businesses and their owners are some of the fabrics holding our city together.

The slogan pushed by the Green River Chamber of Commerce is “Support your own, spend at home.” That money stays in the community and supports people who are a part of the community.

I couldn’t agree with the chamber more.