Supporting Small Businesses Past and Present Essay

Most countries depend on small businesses for taxes. Frequenting them may not lower your tax burden however can help support local governments. It also helps small businesses keep their doors open. Many small businesses are now located on the internet. People who write to earn are considered small business owners. In many cases you can purchase through a small business person even if you are buying from a major chain or box store.

You never know what you will find in your local area that would make it worthwhile to do business. With a local business you can pretty much assume that much of the money stays in your local economy.

Never assume that all small businesses are making a huge profit. Many are barely getting by and I have talked to some store owners who hadn’t made a profit in 9 years. In some cases their spouse worked to help support the family and business.

The area where I grew up had many grocery stores. Some were mom and pop stores while others were large chains. There was one small chain store that we used more than any other. It was a local chain with at the time about 10 stores.

The prices were about the same as the big chains. Some of the differences were,

• The stores were always clean.
• Customers were treated like they mattered.
• They carried what the family used.
• The isles were wide enough so people could pass.

The children also frequented a tiny mom and pop store that was 2 blocks away. My mother considered it safe enough even for the young children to go alone.

As a teenager a trip to the local post office was a treat. There was a blind vendor who had set up shop on the porch of the post office. She sold the best candy any child could ever want. Money was always found for whoever went, so we often argued about who was going to go.

Usually a trip to the post office meant whoever went would have to walk a few blocks further to drop off or pick up something at the woman’s house who did the sewing for the family. She was retired and made a few extra dollars by sewing for people. The clothes she made cost a few cents more than what you would pay in a store but they always lasted until they no longer fit.

Going to the local car wash was always a fun thing to do too. There were times when ten children were lined up waiting for the car to be cleaned completely by the five people who always were present to make sure the car was spotless. Both of my parents frequented them, neither parent liked dirty cars especially the insides of the windows. These were all local people making a living within their community.

Road trips with a stop at the local gas station were interesting if my mother was driving. She always stopped at the same one. The owner would always come out and pump her gas, check the oil, make sure the tires were properly inflated, and without fail say a few words to whichever children were with her. We always knew we would get home because he was also the mechanic who did the car repair. If he felt the car needed any work he would say so and recommend against a trip till it was fixed.

With the global economy many people overlook what is available to them just a short walk or a few keystrokes away. Many of us do more shopping online by typing the name of a global corporation and going directly to their website. This has been the way everyone known to me has done it.

In our house that has changed. We always look at other sites first and will click in from social networks if we find someone local. Knowing Small businesses are the back bone of every economy including the Global economy we now live in, we have decided to help them. We still might end up buying from a Global corporation if it has the best price or service however now we go through a small business site to get there. The price we pay is the same however doing it this way we have helped support a small business.