Area retailers count on local support

With holiday shopping in full swing, local business owners are encouraging area residents to shop local this season in an effort to support the business, the community and benefit area residents. Businesses throughout Ritzville have catered their products for holiday shoppers in an effort to bring more customers through the doors to purchase holiday gifts from a local vendor.

While many residents are wrapping up gift shopping for the season, businesses throughout Ritzville provide shoppers with an opportunity to make a purchase that can be used later in the year. Gift cards for hair cuts, massages, manicures, restaurants and shops provide an opportunity to buy a gift and let the recipient use it at their own convenience.

One of the largest benefits of shopping in local businesses is the welcoming atmosphere and the employees’ desire to assist everyone who walks into the business. When shopping in local shops, the experience is generally unlike any other, as most customers are welcomed by first name and typically end up stopping to stop to a friend, colleague or even a business owner during their shopping trip.

Businesses such as Remember When…? antique shop greet customers with holiday treats, such as hot cider and snacks. This provides customers with a relaxed shopping experience and allows business owner Carly Gillette, and her mother Liz Gillette, with an opportunity to socialize with customers and help them select a gift for a loved one.

For most big city businesses, it is rare to find the storeowner within the business on a daily basis, while in smaller communities; business owners are typically one of the first individuals to greet customers to the shop. The other unique aspect is the owner’s willingness to work with a customer to ensure the purchased product is exactly what the shopper wants.

Theresa Fitch, co-owner of Cow Creek Mercantile, said she enjoys the personalized experience in local businesses, not only in her own business, but also throughout the community. Fitch said she likes being able to address customers by their first name and strike up a conversation, which is an experience she appreciates when she walks into Ritzville downtown businesses and is greeted the same way.

“It’s amazing how close you get to your customers. It’s not about the money, it’s about the relationship you build over time,” Fitch said. “I definitely feel like it’s a more personalized experience.”

The benefits of shopping local are endless, and as Bob’s TV and Appliance owner Scott Kembel emphasized, it helps ensure the future of the town by assisting businesses be able to keep their doors open and provide services to local residents. Kembel is a second-generation business owner and while his store has many gifts to offer holiday shoppers, he believes it is the personalized service and willingness to work with a customer that displays the true distinctiveness of being a small town business.

While the Christmas holiday is an opportunity to buy gifts for family and friends, local businesses provide shoppers with long-term holiday items, such as Christmas décor and decorations. Businesses such as Ritzville Hardware or Ritzville Lumber provide residents with the necessary equipment and products to complete holiday decoration inside and outside of the home.

For those proactive shoppers who have already completed their holiday shopping list, businesses and organizations throughout the community are always seeking donations.

Sterling Bank hosts the Giving Tree every year, and while the ornaments have all been adopted to provide gifts to local families, the staff members are still accepting donations of wrapping paper, bows, or small children’s toys to serve as extra gifts for local families in need of assistance this holiday season. All of those products are available at local businesses, such as Ritzville Drug Company, and helps support an area business while simultaneously providing a family with a Christmas gift they may not have received without generous donations. A donation such as this ensures that the money and the gift truly benefit local individuals.

“Anytime you have to buy something, whether it be a service or a purchase, buying local puts money back in your pocket,” Connie Galbreath, owner of Sunny Spot Floral and Gifts, said. “Local businesses buy goods and services from other local business, hire local workers and pay local utilities and taxes, which helps boost the local economy.”

As this week marks the final weekend for residents to make purchases, before making a trek to a larger city, consider visiting area businesses to see if the store carries the desired product of your search. For those residents who are still unsure of what to purchase for a loved one this holiday season, consider grabbing a coffee at Brew Happy or Sunny Spot before wandering through the doors of a local shop. The employees and owners alike will be happy to provide assistance with your search and help select the perfect holiday gift.

If a decision is still not made, consider purchasing Chamber Bucks from the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce, which allows the recipient to use the gift at a wide variety of Ritzville businesses.

If it is a one-of-a-kind gift residents are searching for this holiday season, contemplate the possibility of buying a seat at the Ritz Theatre and memorializing a loved one at the historic location. Or maybe talk to Brent Larsen of Larsen Photography about setting up an appointment for a family portrait and preserving a memory forever.

Shopping local is not limited to businesses with tangible, long-term products, but also includes supporting local restaurants or salons that provide customers with an instant product. Many of these establishments have gift cards available and serve as an excellent practical idea for all ages. Try to keep all of the community businesses in mind when shopping this week.

The importance of shopping local is simple, and it is a philosophy all local business owners hope can be embraced year-round. Shopping local keeps businesses open, provides area residents with convenient products and services without having to travel and supplies jobs for local citizens. In turn, these businesses donate products, services and time to assist local fundraisers and organizations.