It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow. A time to celebrate all we have together with family and friends. Thanksgiving for me is one of my favorite holidays. I love the spirit and the fact that this is one holiday we all can share together.
It is also the start of the holiday shopping season and has become, at least to me, under attack by the highway stores where malls are opening earlier and earlier. While the bargains are compelling, ruining the spirit of this special American holiday is horrible.
This is happening because of the internet. Brick and mortar stores are being forced to extend themselves more and more as they compete against websites that are open around the clock.
Also under attack is your neighborhood store.
The merchants.services depends on when you forgot something or needed something and didn’t have time to go out on the highway, those shop keepers who are there for you when you need them most are having a very hard time. Many closed during the recession and those left are on the edge of closing too. Sadly, in January you will see several have gone in every town.
We need our local shops. Our town business districts are important parts of our lifestyle. They are often local residents who care about where they live and help support our local activities from donating goods to putting your flyer in their window.
I remember one year when I was seriously ill recovering from major spinal surgery. When I was able to get out I went to my local Tenafly stores and was so touched by what happened. To be honest, I looked horrible but the fact is every shop keeper noticed. Every one of them helped me. They wouldn’t let me carry anything to my car and some called afterward to make sure I got home all right. I never asked them but they knew.
So this shopping season, make sure you buy something from your local stores. They are there for you all year long. Be there for them at the biggest shopping season of the year. If each of us supported them just a little bit more, we’ll have all of them in 2015.
