What I hope is happening on Main Street Mason City along with all the other smaller cities and towns, is a re-awakening of the need for locally owned businesses. Just in this past year, I have noticed here in downtown Mason City, the number of buildings for rent and or for sale have decreased substantially. This is a very good thing for Mason City’s “Centrum”.
If you step back and look at all things considered in buying local vs corporate, you will find more advantages than dis-advantages when shopping main street USA. First of all, when you have a problem with something you purchased, you make a local call or pay a close visit to where you made your purchase and get likely same day problem resolved. Secondly, most locally owned and operated businesses go out of their way to make sure their customers are satisfied. Remember, local buyers are their mainstay. If they don’t keep the locals happy, they go out of business. Thirdly, when you purchase local, you make one more contribution towards keeping the community alive and growing. Local business pay commercial taxes which help to go towards local schools, law enforcement, parks, and the list goes on.
I’m sure you all have heard the catch phrase, “less is more”. Well, I can say without resign, I would rather buy something local that costs more, than spend less on more of a product that is likely of inferior quality. So for me, “more is less”.
