Walk down the main street of any vibrant town, and you will probably see two things that are indicative of the community: the busy barbershop and the busy café on the corner. It is unlikely that either the barbershop or the café is merely a place where people go to get a haircut or get a cup of coffee in the morning. While these businesses may appear to be just what they are, they are very much more than that. It is because of the barber and the café, and the importance they both hold, that the significance of local business is felt.
Cultural Institutions of Modern Life: Barbershops
The barbershop on the corner has traditionally been about more than a simple haircut. For many years, it has also been a refuge where men can gather and hear the news of the community, argue about sports, and talk about politics. This aspect of the barbershop raises a simple transaction into a significant social act.
When you spend money for a haircut at the independent barbershop, that money does not go into the pocket of a far-off corporation. Rather, it puts money into the pocket of a local citizen, who then spends it at the grocery store down the block. The Old Town Scottsdale barbers is frequently a presence in the neighborhood, a source of continuity and a person who sees kids grow from toddlers into adolescents and eventually into adults.
The Café and The Daily Ritual
Similarly, the local café becomes a modern version of the town square. This is where freelancers go to have a place to work for the day, where individuals connect with each other to reconnect socially, and where individuals begin the day with a routine. The independent cafés source all their pastry items from the local bakery and milk from a local dairy farm. The barista who has your order memorized becomes a part of a connected life in a technology-driven world. Each of these interactions seems inconsequential on its own, but all of them work towards fighting social isolation.
The Role of Small Businesses in the Economy
When observed from a larger perspective, the economic significance of small businesses cannot be overstated. Though big businesses make headlines, as a contributing factor, small businesses account for a large share of employment creation. They are the ones who employ our neighbors, our friends, and our children for their first jobs during the summer holidays.
While big businesses have the ability to funnel their profits into regional or foreign offices, small businesses have the ability to revamp their communities, meaning a dollar spent in an independent business results in a substantially larger multiplier effect in the community compared to a dollar spent in a chain store.
Creating Stronger Communities
Outside of economic factors, small businesses are the chief benefactors of the civic community. When there is a need for the high school baseball team to have a set of new uniforms or a charity in need of a raffle prize, it is the small business owners who take on the challenge of being the benefactor in these instances. Small business owners have a vested concern in the success of their community as they directly relate to its success or failure.
Why Your Choice Matters
Each time we decide how to spend our money, it is a vote for what kind of community we get to build in our hometowns. When we choose to get a haircut at the local barber shop rather than a chain salon and choose to grab a cup of coffee at the local café rather than a big-box coffee chain, we are investing in a community that will remain unique and vibrant. These businesses mean so much more to us than just a line item on a budget sheet. They are the foundation of our economy and the fabric of our lives!