Shop Local: Save the Country
Who doesn’t like the small town appeal of locally owned shops?
I recall when I was a kid and my mom would take me to downtown Hudson or Cuyahoga Falls, where local owners’ shops lined each side of Main Street. What fun! When you walk in and are greeted with a smile, as the woman behind the counter hollers out, “Welcome back!” Ah. It’s all so quaint. It’s all so uplifting. Then to know that any money you spend at these local stores helps support, essentially, your neighbor is quite the satisfying cherry on top. Well, at least in my book it is. When you shop local you get better quality products and services, while doing your part to save the Country.
That’s Absurd!
Save the Country by shopping? That statement may seem absurd at first glance, but really think about where we are in this Nation right now. All the destruction and exuberant cost is not only orchestrated for our demise, it crept in while most folks were “too busy” to realize. In short, under the guise of “convenience” and other such schemes we were lulled by big corporations to become dependent on foreign made goods. Even food! Ludicrous! Do some research on your own for a bit. You may even find stuff I overlooked, but the bottom line is that we are in a mess. I think anyone who is moderately awake can see that truth.
Here’s another truth: It’s not going to get any better if we continue in our present habits. The good news is that we can reverse this mess. Simply by changing our buying habits, we can begin to turn the US economy around, if even bit by bit. Buy American. Shop local. Especially for your pups! As much as is within your ability, adjust your shopping to align with those two guiding principles and you will be doing your part. Granted, this is not the only action needed to save our Country, but it is a fabulous start and something we can all do.
What’s more absurd is doing nothing, or continuing in the same habits that helped get us in this position. What is that you say? One person changing their buying habits in one, small area of the map will not change anything? Oh, stop the lies! Did you already forget how quickly Target turned around after the backlash from their “woke”, perverted bs? Voting with your dollars does pay off, in the short and long runs, and we are all better off for it. Including our pooches!
Local Food Bliss
The best example I can think of right now is a butcher shop and deli not far from where I live. Buckeye Quality Meats in Streetsboro, OH has that quaint, small town appeal. It is owned and operated by local farmers whose supplies come from their own farm and others right here in our great State of Ohio. The Stackhouse family farm, located in Ashtabula County, is a prime example of a homegrown, self-sustaining operation. Everything needed to raise healthy, clean cows is grown and sourced right on their own farm. The store is just right, with a good variety of common and specialty items. To top it off, every time we walk into that place we are greeted with some of the most pleasant folks, just as if we were family!
And the best part? They also make dog food! In fact, they have an entire freezer section dedicated to pooches! And Paul is always coming up with great, new stuff–like amazing beef jerky and fish skin roll-ups. My dogs love ’em!
Another thing so great about local owned shops is the personalized attention given. For instance, as I was adjusting my pups over to a fresh raw diet I found that Mia was not able to digest the bone very well. Although Buckeye does a fine job grinding up the bone along with the muscle and other organs, Mia was not having it. When Paul saw me purchasing large quantities of plain ground chicken, he asked me about it. After explaining this to him, he came up with a proposal to help me save a few bucks while I work out Mia’s issues. In addition to that, he adjusted the ratio of muscle meat to bone and other organs in the raw recipe to align more with a healthy diet. What’s more is we can buy it by the case, which offers additional savings and talk about convenience!
I’m tellin’ ya, these guys don’t cease to surprise me!
It’s stuff like this that make the shopping experience so much better than, say, corporate places like PetSmart. Rather than following a national program dictated by stuffy suits in foreign offices somewhere, purely for marketing to boost sales, locals are more personal and creative. The folks at Buckeye dig, ask questions and research to produce the best quality products that their customers need and enjoy. Which, in my opinion, is a better means to boost sales. Just sayin 😉
Buckeye Quality Meats is here in Ohio and may be a bit too much of a drive for you, so look around your own town. You are sure to find something closer. Over the past couple years there has been a rise in local-owned shops of various sorts. When you do find some, comment below and let’s give our neighbors a shout out! If your local butcher or deli does not grind up balanced packs for your pup’s raw diet, have a chat with the managers. Offer the suggestions and show them how Buckeye in Ohio does it. It will help their business grow and save you the mess!
In the end…
The essence of the American Dream for many is owning or running a business that we believe in. Providing services and products in which we may take great pride in making them the best, coupled with an entrepreneurial motivation, is what built this Country into a great Nation. People at places like Buckeye Quality Meats bust their asses to put on our tables (and in our dog bowls!) the best in the area, while doing their utmost to help us save money. They know well what too many in this Country seem to have forgotten: Success is not having the best marketing scheme. Rather, it is borne of hard work to keep happy customers returning for your great products.
Patronizing local owned businesses such as this is the cornerstone of rebuilding this once great Nation. Essentially, neighbors supporting neighbors. That is what will help save this Country.