Blog 18
Now, more than ever, supporting your local businesses is so important. We all have heard about and supported our local Shop Small Saturdays throughout the years. In past blogs, I had written about my firsthand account of what many small businesses are going through with the shortage of available staff, and reduced inventory due to supply chain demands. Many of these small businesses either never qualified or barely received funding assistance to get through the COVID-19 shut down. So many are on the brink of shutting down for good. I haven’t talked much about my photography business, but I can personally account for some of these challenges.
Over the past week, I had stopped by several local stores where I sell my artwork. I noticed that the small shops were stocking their shelves, decorating for the holiday season, and eagerly waiting for the customers to arrive. I also noticed that they weren’t as stocked as they had in the past! When I spoke to several store owners, they each said that this summer was painfully slow, and that they really need this holiday season to make a difference. One owner had mentioned the ships that were held up at our ports may for her, be a blessing in disguise. Items purchased on many of the large shopping websites are challenged getting orders filled. So many of us may find that our holiday shopping orders may not make it in time for Christmas. She went on to say that all her vendors are local, and despite some of the vendors challenges to get the materials to produce their goods, many vendors still have been able to stock her inventory. She also said that 13 of her vendors from a year ago, no longer exist today.
I had asked her how could the Chamber help her business? She said the best thing that anyone could do is to promote and shop local this year. The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce website has a “HOT DEALS” page available to any chamber member. They can post their holiday shopping deals at no cost.
Just let us know what you would like us to post on our HOT DEALS page and we would be happy to help you promote your business this holiday season.
We hope to fill our page with dozens of shop local deals this year! https://business.franklin-chamber.org/hotdeals
