Let the shopping begin: Shop Local, Shop Seguin

“We are using a tagline that is kind of fun. We’ll we are using two different ones. ‘Keep the Cheer Here” because we are all excited about Christmas coming and this year going away. But we are also using one that is called ‘Shop Local. Save Local’ and that is a little bit of a different message that not about saving money locally necessarily but saving your local businesses because they are all really struggling to stay in business right now and it’s important that we support them,” said Hall.

Hall recently was among other business owners and leaders who recently gathered in downtown Seguin to launch this year’s efforts of helping to keep dollars local. The gathering is the official holiday launching for “Shop Local, Shop Seguin.” Among those in the group were members of the Seguin-Guadalupe County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Mary Ann Smith, Hispanic chamber member and owner of Su Casa Café, says promoting local shopping is needed more than ever.

“I want Seguin and the whole community ,to know that we are still promoting especially the small business because I think this is the year that we can really help each other to continue with 2020 and until this thing is over and if we help each other, everything will be okay. We just have to stay strong and maybe buy between us and try to stay local that way our economy continues to stay strong,” said Smith.

Not only do the dollars that are spent stay local but Smith says they are often returned to the community in the form of a Little League sponsorship, the purchase of a gala table, or maybe as in-kind contribution to a local cause.

“Every dollar that we spend in our community, stays in that community and the expenses are not going to go anywhere. They stay here so we want to make sure that we stay strong. The local businesses are the ones that stay and are always helping the community, the organizations, helping people with jobs,” said Smith.

As a restaurant owner, Smith says shop local also means eat local.

“We really need to continue the effort to try to support the small businesses as much as you can. I know a lot of times you have to stay home and cook for your family but if you have a chance, whenever you go out, try to stay local,” said Smith.

Kyle Kramm, the director of the Seguin Main Street Program and the Seguin CVB, says although many local businesses may not show it, many are doing all they can to work their way back up to the top if not at least to the surface.

“I think this year is very different for us and stressing the importance of shopping local and shopping with our small independent businesses. Lots of them are extremely hurt starting from March when things started to close down until June and July when they were allowed to reopen. Lots of them have adapted, opened up websites and things like that but they are still suffering from being down two and three months and so this year, it’s even more important that we get out and support our small local businesses especially now during the holiday season,” said Kramm.

In helping to “Keep the Cheer Here” or to “Shop Local, Save Local,” Hall is reminding customers that shopping online is also an option here in Seguin.

“I know everybody in downtown offers curbside and they have websites that you can usually just order online and pick it up curbside. Just Google them and see if they are open. Give them a call. Check them out. Support them safely. We are all sanitizing and disinfecting and trying to meet your shopping needs,” said Hall.

According to Independent We Stand, small businesses have accounted for 65 percent of all net new jobs over the past 17 years.

Small businesses employ 77 million Americans.

Residential neighborhoods served by a successful independent business district gained, on average, 50 percent more in home values than their citywide markets.

Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales than chain competitors. Independent restaurants also return more than two times as much money per dollar of sales than national restaurant chains.

If independent businesses regained their 1990 market shares, it would create 200,000 new small businesses, generate nearly $300 billion in revenues and employ more than 1.6 million American workers.
If just half the U.S. employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.

Finally, for every square foot a local firm occupies, the local economy gains $179 vs. $105 for a chain store.

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