Shop Local

You know that things must be pretty horrible in the local small business world when restaurants are posted for sale on Craigslist. Case in point the space next to the apple store fought a contentious fight for a conditional use permit to change the use from retail to food, the windows covered with paper for months. Then last week the place was listed for sale with lease hold improvements in a craigslist posting. Reason given for the sale: staffing. Seems like a given that a fine dining establishment have staffing problems if the place is closed for over six months..no surprises there.

The local businesses are struggling with the lack of credit lines. I have spoken with a few long time merchants, and it's not a pretty picture painted with personal credit cards maxed and credit lines dried up.

A Gallup poll earlier this month found consumers are going to spend $150 less this Christmas than last year. The $616 per person was the lowest amount since the research company began asking the question a decade ago. The time to support downtown business is now. Even if its just a percentage of your holiday shopping. I hate to sound like Henny Penny but the proverbial financial world is falling and our local expenditures will make the difference between life and death for the local merchants.

Next Friday the Town Christmas tree will be lit with new LED lights ( Thank you Paul Dubois and all those who took the helm on this important change.) Please join in on the festivities, then shop, dine, enjoy the carriage rides but most importantly please consider buying whatever you can locally- dinner, coffee beans, the amazing Syrah available from Flemming Jenkins just to throw out a few ideas..You know what's on your list so just a more careful and creative approach can be a huge life line for the merchants we all love but most likely take for granted they will always be there for us. If the present financial environment has taught us anything the last few months, it's to expect things to change. Irrevocably perhaps, so we can all be the life line and feel good about it.