BY RYAN SPELTS

Don’t worry, this is not going to be a lecture on how amazon.com is evil and ruining our local economy. I personally use Amazon, probably a little too much. I do, however, make every effort to buy locally. I recently wanted to buy some sporting equipment and shopped locally at four stores, until I couldn’t find what I needed and then I went online. To me that extra effort is worth it, because I am a local business owner and I want to support others who also have local businesses.

I love walking into Lee’s or Smith’s and seeing my neighbors’ kids working there, learning at their first job. Ben Lomond Heating and Air hired my son for his first job. Advanced Electrolysis hired my daughter for her first job. My dentist, Ben Lomond Dental, seems to sponsor nearly every sport at the High School, and Dr. Larson, said, “I don’t think anyone has ever come in and said, ‘I saw your logo on my child’s dance t-shirt and so I want you to be my dentist’!” He probably won’t ever hear that, but I, for one, am glad that a small business owner like him is willing to sponsor sports and other activities for our youth. (The challenge of naming a few businesses is that I could never fit everyone in one article, and so I inevitably leave some out…sorry!)

There are so many business owners like this here in North Ogden. Behind the scenes, doing work and providing work, contributing to our local economy. Our support matters to these businesses. The point of this article is to remind each of us to shop here when we can. Our city gets sales tax revenue from locally purchased goods, which helps our city operate. Operation is good.

To me though, it is bigger than that. It is connection to our community. It is why this magazine is called Connection! By shopping locally, we get to be part of the community and support someone who lives here too, someone who hires us, or our kids. It’s the chance for me to work side-by-side with fellow business owners Jenice Jones (Jones Shirts and Signs), and Shawn and Sharlene Maynard (Bull Frog Spas) on the Small Business Development Committee; they voluntarily work to try to make the business environment for our community better and stronger. And since nearly half of the workforce is employed by small businesses, there is a one in two chance that you work for or own a small business. Our economy needs you and me and all of us to thrive.

While I can recognize the beauty and convenience of buying something in my pj’s and having a brown box on my doorstep (sometimes the very next day), I also love getting a scoop of homemade natural ice cream from the Cannery Creamery, or a gift from All Aflutter. I also know they don’t exist unless a good portion of us make the choice to shop there. So this season, I encourage you to make the effort to stop at a local shop and buy from them, if they have what you want or need. It helps, it really does.