We live in a society where a majority of the population shops at mainstream businesses. For this reason, it's sometimes difficult for local businesses to flourish. It's also more time consuming for shoppers to discover and experience smaller-scale, mom-and-pop shops that offer a more personalized experience, as well as familiarity.
Big box stores have local businesses outmatched when it comes to convenience — a concern relevant to central Pinellas, one of the Tampa Bay area's most chain store-congested areas. Convenience helps explain why most shoppers overlook the fact that some corporations' — such as Walmart — annual sales exceed $400 billion, while local businesses offer the same services and are struggling to stay afloat.
One problem is that finding these alternatives isn't always easy. This is where a promising new program comes into play: The Pinellas Park/Gateway Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the City of Pinellas Park and LocalShops1 to launch the "Buy Local Pinellas Park" program in an effort to promote and grow the local economy. The program, which kicked off on Aug. 15, is effective immediately.
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2012.