Home Opinion Editorials Finish filling those Christmas lists locally

Finish filling those Christmas lists locally

Written by Observer editorial reports December 20, 2010 08:16 pm

The rush is on. The Christmas shopping season is in its final few days. What better time to make sure the rest of our shopping is done locally — in Union and Wallowa counties.
During the Christmas shopping season, our local retailers are depending on us, much like the community depends on them in times of need.

The owners of our local shops are the people who provide the backbone of our retail community. They are the people who support Little League, youth soccer teams and a multitude of other fundraising appeals.

The least we can do is try to give something back.

The dollars spent
locally will circulate back into the community, which is something that won’t
happen if dollars are spent online or in the Tri-Cities, Portland or Boise.

Take a stroll through our downtowns — in La Grande, Island City Union, Elgin and the communities in Wallowa County. And don’t forget the La Grande Town Center, or the shops that exist in homes around our area. All have some special things to offer. Need stocking stuffers? Consider buying some “Chamber Cash’’ from the Union County Chamber of Commerce or some “Buckskin Bucks’’ from the Wallowa County Chamber. The cash and bucks come in several denominations and can be used at a host of local merchants.

We don’t have the mega-stores or national chain stores that larger cities have. Shopping locally, though, is likely to result in some surprises and gifts that you just can’t find anywhere else — not to mention the fact that you’ll receive some good old-fashioned, friendly customer service.

Please consider finishing up your shopping in our communities. You’ll be glad you did — not only because of what you’ll be able to find, but because you’ve done your part to help sustain our retail community.