08/27/2026
Kinda a long post but we just wanted to give everyone a insite to what the effect 243 being closed for the few weeks it was. Sales were down 20-25% customers were shopping elsewhere instead of taking the extra 6 minutes to drive here.
So here are 15 reasons to shop local.
Keep Money Local—Sales taxes fund our communities and provide vital services such as police and fire protection, street repairs and trash collection.
Local Investment—Local businesses are less susceptible to national downturns and more likely to work harder to stay open.
Locally-Made Products—Local business owners often sell local products, which helps preserve the community’s distinction and creates more jobs locally.
Studies show that nonprofits receive 250 percent more support from small businesses than large ones.
One-of-a-kind shops and restaurants are part of what makes our city a great place to live.
Personal Connection—Getting to know the store owners is a great reason to shop local.
Product Knowledge—Local business owners are well informed about their products and know what they are selling.
Diverse Products—Local stores carry inventory you might not find at national chain stores.
Cost Effective—Sometimes prices at local businesses are better because they don’t have the overhead that larger stores may have and they can be more willing to negotiate to meet your price needs.
Better Experience—Local shopping can translate to more convenient retail experiences.
Increased Expertise—Shopping at a local store means you can get an expert opinion about the products that you’re purchasing.
Create Community— We are a transitory society so people don’t always have a connection with the communities where they live.
Better Service—Local business owners do what they do because they are passionate about their products and typically take more time to get to know their customers.
Shopping local keeps your money here which helps support the schools, helps support fund raisers for many different causes.
Ultimately folks we are very concerned as to what a year with no bridge will do to Bill's Ace Hardware and the entire town of Osceola.