One New Year s resolution that s easy to keep
By Joanna Brazil
Peabody Main Street Director
It's that time of year again. The time where we vow to eat better, move more, quit our vices, get more sleep, and all those other wonderful goals we set and struggle to keep past February, or in my case, past Jan. 3. These goals are not easy to keep as they require major life and habit changes, but there are some more reasonable goals we can set that not only have a positive result in our lives, but one for our community and local businesses as well.
I set before you a simple challenge, one that I have set in the past, and have discovered how easy and rewarding it is to keep. I challenge each of you to make a conscious effort to shop our local businesses first, before spending our paychecks at Wal-mart. Think of the impact such a move would have on our local economy.
Bear with me for just a moment as I break this down. According to the 2000 Census report, Peabody's population is 1,384, 1,222 of which are age 20 to 85 years and older. From these numbers, and just for kicks, I'll estimate our adult population is roughly 1,200. Let us assume that 1,000 of us take on the challenge to spend more money locally (especially money that we're already spending, just in other places). With 1,000 people spending an extra $10 a month in town, we are pumping an extra $10,000 into our local economy. Over a year, that equates to $120,000. That is just by making a conscious effort to spend $10 a month in our local businesses that we may have spent elsewhere.
Considering the quality and assortment of businesses in Peabody, this should be a very simple resolution. I'll give you a list of reasons why.
1. Most of our needs are met, and met well I might add, in this town. If you still are buying groceries, hardware supplies, pharmaceuticals, and gasoline out of town, shame on you! You are missing out, and you are in for a nice surprise. Our local businesses are very impressive with their selection, quality, and competitive prices (especially when you factor time and additional fuel costs into shopping elsewhere). Consider fueling up before you leave town and doing your monthly grocery shopping in Peabody instead of taking that trip to Dillons or Wal-mart. I think you will be pleasantly amazed at how this actually helps you save money, and even more important than money, time.
2. You can find all kinds of great gifts in Peabody, certainly more than most realize. I want to chuckle when I hear people say, "There's nothing in town," because I doubt one would say it if he/she actually shopped in our local businesses. We have an amazing assortment of goods, services, and gifts available. There have been numerous times when I have mentioned that I got such-and-such item from downtown and people react, "I didn't know that business sold those items!" Many of our businesses continue to expand in merchandise and services offered. Shopping at their businesses is good for this reason alone! If you want to see more available in Peabody, show our businesses you support them! Why would a business take a risk on a new line of merchandise or offer an additional service if we aren't shopping there and offering feedback on what we want?
3. Building a relationship with our businesses is a good thing. It's good for our businesses to have the opportunity to know your family. When your child needs a sponsor for a yearbook page or sports team, who do you ask? Isn't it fair that these businesses know your child because your family does business with them, rather than see them only when they want something in return? Besides that, this business may someday be a potential employer.
4. Spending money in town is the gift that keeps on giving. We want good schools, good roads, and a nice looking community for which we can be proud. When we shop at Wal-mart in Wichita, our tax money supports the schools, roads, and community of Wichita. That's wonderful for Wichita, but it's even better when our own services and improvements are supported by those dollars. Shopping at home not only keeps our businesses in business, it keeps our schools and city services in business as well.
I am fighting the urge to go on with the list of reasons to make the effort to first shop locally. I can continue the list for at least three more pages, but you all have the point.
By now, my family is used to getting "Peabody items" as gifts. I even have some of them trained. My sister specifically asks for "Peabody soaps" every year for Christmas. I have found that I say with pride, "These are from Peabody," when I pass on presents, usually because I believe they are unique gifts that the recipients will enjoy.
I wish you well on your New Year's resolutions, and may 2006 be a year of good health and much happiness. To our businesses, I also wish you well. May you see much more of us as we resolve to do more shopping with you in 2006!
