We have never had more power to decide the future of our country. No matter what the government gets right or wrong about their response to the pandemic, it is really us—the consumers—that decide what businesses survive. And we do it every single day with the money we spend.
But even for someone like me who spends a great deal of my time thinking about local supply chains and local artists, it is hard to break the Amazon / Walmart habit. It’s just reflexive, because it is just so easy and predictable. I’m like so many other rural and small town women who do most of their shopping at Walmart. It wasn’t until the shelves emptied out of meat that I fully committed to a local processor and butcher who sources from nearby farmers. And, suddenly, I realized that if I was just willing to buy frozen meat and put it in my fridge the night before that I could replace all of those packed-in-a-Coronavirus-riddled-plant-in-South-Dakota meats with something equally well-priced that was pasture-fed nearby. And of far greater quality.
Once you start down the path you begin to realize how much we have given up by following the pathway of convenience. Let’s be honest: if we don’t consciously choose small businesses now, they will not be able to survive all the economic roller coaster of the times ahead. As a small business owner myself, I can promise you that the government’s programs are probably hurting more than helping right now. And while my retail store is forced to close and we enter a period of unprecedented economic losses, Walmart has actually increased their sales by an unbelievable 20%.
Let’s think about that a moment. Walmart sources about 80% of its products from China, and an additional 5 - 15% internationally. It has been systematically reducing the number of people it employs through systems like self-checkout, and is infamous for keeping staff hours under the number that qualifies for medical insurance. Their blatant disregard of community well-being is evident in every over-packed store where their staff work without the benefit of gloves or masks. If they come out of this stronger than ever, we may not have the choice to have American-made items and businesses that are thoughtful about local needs. And then what happens?
We have already seen the consequences when imports of medicine, wheat, and yeast were halted by the countries that produce them. We put ourselves in a weak position, not only in the global marketplace, but also in the kinds of community and job opportunities we are creating for ourselves and our children.
But we have the power to make a different choice. We can do this! I know that many of us are getting take-out from independent restaurants and choosing pickup options from the Farmer’s Market. But here are a 4 more ways that we can build a strong local economy to weather these times and the times ahead. Make sure you scroll through to see all the local businesses we are highlighting. You can click directly to each one.
#1 Local Farms
Your local farms provide a lot more than CSA boxes. You may not realize it, but you could probably be getting your cleaning products, pancake mixes, and your bath-and-body goods from local farms. Here are a few local suggestions that have strong online ordering options.
#2 Fitness and Wellbeing
If you are in my demographic, you are constantly bombarded by advertisements from giant fitness conglomerations who sell apps or videos or nutrition supplements. You do not have to take classes from some robot with muscles filming from an L.A. studio. All of the women we are highlighting here are powerhouses that were once too far away; now that they have moved their offerings online, we can work out with the best of the Kentucky mountains. Pro tip: when you purchase access to a class, you get all the good feelings, so you can even be extra forgiving of yourself if you don’t end up using it.
#3 Apparel and Art
I love the tagline of Appalachian Apparel Co.: “Why be average when you can be Appalachian?” We have so many tremendous local makers. Here are just a few that have really great online ordering experiences. I own items from each of these makers, and they are well-worn favorites that get pulled out again and again, instead of ending up in a donation bin. You can click on the link to go directly to their stores to make a purchase.
#4 Books and Home
Friends, I am never buying another book from Amazon. Ever. Your small bookstore can order them directly from the publisher and give you personalized recommendations. And those factory-produced candles have nothing on locally hand-poured ones. Again, you are not paying, but you do get better quality, better service, and greater personalization.
We’re In It Together
Let’s remember that we are the ones who stimulate the economy. We can create the future we want, and the most important decision we make every single day is how we are going to spend our dollars. There are so many local stores I cannot wait to go and visit once it is safe to be out and about; this is just a preliminary list of folks who have offerings we can get now. After all, we don’t have to get it perfect. But every small decision we make adds up together. I am more committed now than ever before.
Get To Know Us
We are a small family business with one goal: to show the world Appalachian magic through unique food and retail experiences, in a way that nurtures our community and region.
Sky and Geoff Marietta are passionate about rebuilding Main Street businesses in Appalachian Kentucky. Look for some of our blog posts below, or find out more about our start here.
