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EDITORIAL
Help
your town this year
The big box stores and fancy catalogues are starting to roll. TV is brimming
with cute commercials, every one of which seems to be about one thing:
Holiday shopping. And we know what you are thinking: The Thanksgiving
turkey is barely gone, the football games are just starting, and now I
have to put up with another sales pitch?Yes, you do, if you choose to
keep reading. And we hope you will. That’s because this editorial
contains an essential, yet simple, message about the importance of spending
some of your hard-earned money here, at home, in Yellow Springs.
As they have in the past, local merchants and the Yellow Springs Chamber
of Commerce jump-started the holiday shopping season with the annual Holiday
in the Village festivities, a five-week event campaign that includes a
promotional campaign for downtown businesses and holiday-related activities.
Some merchants have even pooled together their money to pay for television
commercials. It’s significant that our hometown businesses started
the holiday shopping push last weekend — a week before this weekend’s
big shopping extravaganza.
While business owners are trying to lure out-of-town visitors to Yellow
Springs, they have also sent a strong message to local residents by advertising
in the News: don’t forget about us. That’s because local merchants
need your support.
In the mad dash to find the ideal gift, as you are drawn to the big lights
of nearby malls, you may overlook our own retail stores. But except for
certain items, most products can be found in Yellow Springs.
During the holiday season, many local merchants do a significant amount
of business. This time of year is also crucial for some downtown businesses
to stay afloat, as well as help them get through the slow post-holiday
months. Plus, making a concerted effort to shop in town will help the
village’s many small, independent businesses during these uncertain
economic times.
So help your town this holiday season. Shop at home.
—Robert
Mihalek
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