For as long as I, or anyone else can remember, the merchants of Downtown Laurel have held their Christmas Open House on the first Sunday of November. This serves as the perfect preview for a much newer movement, Small Business Saturday. With more than 20 places to eat, shop, and browse in the walkable downtown area, this year’s Christmas Open House is sure to provide something for everyone on your shopping list! Bring your friends and family and support our local businesses this holiday season!
Christmas Open House Details
Most downtown merchants and retailers will be open from 12-5 p.m. on Sunday, November 5th for the Annual Christmas Open House. However, it is up to each individual retailer to set their own hours for this event, so if there’s a shop you don’t want to miss, be sure to check with them for their hours.
Drop & Shop: Child-free Shopping Event
Does Santa need to do a little child-free shopping? One of Downtown Laurel’s newest additions, Central Creativity, is hosting a “Drop & Shop” event so patrons can shop without their eavesdropping elves. Central Creativity will be open from 12-5 p.m. and will have fun and educational activities for children ages 4-12. Kids will love exploring virtual reality worlds, open Minecraft lab, art projects, hands-on science experiments, and more! The cost for Drop & Shop is $10 per child per hour. For more information, contact Central Creativity at (601) 580-8773.
The Importance of Shopping Local
We’ve heard it stated time and again that local businesses are the backbone of a community, and indeed, they are. Small businesses, locally owned and operated, are an integral part of our community. According to the American Independent Business Alliance, “Independent, local businesses employ an array of supporting services by “buying locally” themselves. They hire architects, designers, cabinet shops, sign makers and contractors for construction. Local accountants, insurance brokers, computer consultants, attorneys, advertising agencies help run it. Local retailers and distributors also carry a higher percentage of locally-produced goods than chains, meaning more jobs for local producers.” Sounds a lot like Laurel, right?
Research reports show that for every dollar spent at a local business, 3.5 dollars are recirculated into the local economy, which creates more local jobs. Money spent at a chain retailer often doesn’t leave that chain retailer, as they outsource most of their products and services.
When you shop locally, you get to know the people behind the business and you enjoy a connection you would not otherwise have. Our local businesses give our community its flavor. The combined presence of our town’s many local businesses makes it different from every other city in the world. By supporting those businesses instead of chains, you help preserve the uniqueness our community. Local businesses define our sense of place, and their survival depends on our patronage. So this holiday season, we urge you to SHOP LOCAL in LAUREL.
