Article provided by Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, Photos provided by Visit Stillwater
Stillwater is a prosperous community full of established small business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs that create new and diverse markets. The benefits each of these small businesses contribute to our community are countless. However, without the support of local shoppers, these benefits would cease to exist. By choosing to shop local first in Stillwater, you are:
Building Our Community
Local business owners have a vested interest in Stillwater too. Most of our small businesses are owned by people who live in this community, drive on the same roads we do, and have children that attend the same schools. They, too, want to make sure Stillwater is the best place to live, work, and play.
Preserving Stillwater’s Unique Identity
By shopping locally, you are helping Stillwater preserve its distinct downtown charm. Our business community is our front yard, making our visual impression important. The more we invest in it, the more prosperous it will become. Our community provides its own unique identity through a diverse selection of goods and services, giving our community its own distinct personality. This also allows for greater economic advantages in a community by preserving these one-of-a-kind businesses.
Keeping Your Dollars Local
When you spend in Stillwater, you are also keeping your tax dollars in our community. Municipalities in the state of Oklahoma are primarily funded through sales tax collections. Also, independent, locally-owned businesses recirculate, on average, approximately 48 percent of each purchase, enriching our whole community.
Supporting Entrepreneurism
Entrepreneurs and their small businesses are vital to a healthy ecosystem. Not only do they create new jobs, employing our residents, they play a crucial role in enhancing our quality of life. A community that supports local businesses sends a positive message, encouraging future innovators to plant their roots.
Getting Better Customer Service
Now this is something the internet cannot give you. Often, we get caught up in the day-to-day tasks, that we miss the opportunities to interact with those around us. Small businesses give Stillwater that sense of community. It is frequent that you can walk into a small business in our community to find the owner managing the floor as well. These owners are invested in building relationships with you. They care that you are there and they want you to come back.
Shop Local, Shop #CrazyDays in Stillwater!
For as far back as most of us can remember, Stillwater has hosted Crazy Days, the city-wide sales event giving merchants an opportunity to clear out their seasonal stock and overstock items just in time for back to school shopping. The Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, City of Stillwater and Visit Stillwater are all working hard to promote great deals, fun events, and community engagement! Shopping sales will begin Wednesday, July 19 at 5 p.m. and run through Saturday, July 22.
