Support Small Business and American Made Goods

This article appeared in the November 23 Dawson News and Advertiser

Support “Small Business Saturday” on November 26

After we give thanks for our family and friends, our community, our men and women in uniform, and our nation on Thanksgiving Day, we begin one of the rituals of the holiday season, shopping.  Many of us will begin our Christmas shopping Thanksgiving Night or on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  Many will shop at stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, Belk’s, or Macy’s.  But Saturday, November 26 has been designated as “Small Business Saturday”.  This is the 2^nd year of the promotion and it is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.  If millions of Americans all over the country would “shop small” the results could be huge!
Think about the small businesses in Dawson County, in Dahlonega, or in Gainesville.  It could be a gift shop, a clothing store, a decorating studio, a jewelry store, a bird store, a golf club, or a small restaurant. If everyone in North Georgia picked 3 or 4 of those small businesses at which to shop on Saturday, what an impact that would make!  It used to be that small business was the backbone of our country.  But unfortunately huge corporations such as Wal-Mart have pushed many small businesses out of business.  Small business cannot compete with the might of Wal-Mart which has become the largest retailer in the world.  Because of their might, they can dictate to manufacturers what to manufacture and what price to charge for the goods.  This has led to many companies sending their manufacturing to China or India where they can get cheap labor to produce their products and then sell them to Wal-Mart for distribution in the US.  The problem they have created, however, is that now middle class American has no manufacturing jobs available, jobs that used to pay $15 or $20 an hour.  Now all they have left is jobs at Wal-Mart making $8 to $10 an hour.  Even though retail sales are up at Wal-Mart, they are cutting employees hours and health benefits. If we don’t shop there quite as often, the Walton Family will be just fine!  Why?  Because the owners of the Wal-Mart Empire include 5 of the top 11 wealthiest individuals in America.  But the extra sales created by shopping small businesses this holiday season could make their year a success.
It would also be a boost to our economy if everyone would shop for American made goods.  Again these are hard to find, but if you buy from small businesses and get personal attention you may be able to find “Made in America” products.  When Sam Walton first began Wal-Mart in the 1960’s he promoted Wal-Mart as selling products “Made in America”.  But you would have to look very hard today to find anything in Wal-Mart today that is made in America.  So step out of the “Big Box” store for one day (or everyday!) and shop small—shop the small businesses in your area!  Look for local artists, seamstresses, bakers, and craftsman!  In fact, if we would all shop small and shop American made every day, we could probably turn this country and this economy around!