If you”ve had a chance to look around downtown Lakeport in the past month or two, you may have noticed a common theme. There are lots of stores, restaurants and small businesses closing up shop. There is also a lot of gossip about who”s going down next. I”ve got a bit of an inside look because I own a small business and people love to tell me who”s closing next.
While this is, of course, a sign of our dire economic times, I am here to ask our community to consider a Lakeport without mom-and-pop businesses. Now, if you”d be perfectly happy with a town full of Wal-Marts, Targets and other big box stores, please don”t bother reading on.
I am not anti-Wal-Mart; they provide a lot of jobs, do good charity work and they do have affordable choices for those who really need it. It”s just nice to have some alternatives.
Here”s what you can do to keep small businesses alive. Think about your favorite local restaurant, caf?, bookstore, hair salon, boutique etc. Go there this week and buy something, anything. The money you spend at that little business goes directly into the pockets of your neighbors, so they in turn can feed their families and shop at other local businesses.
Every time you shop at a local business, you can feel proud that you”re helping to keep the beauty of this quaint, lovely town alive.
Danna Bell, owner, Pieces Boutique
Lakeport
