Most people know that it’s almost always better to shop with local stores and small chains than at larger, big box stores—from more personalized service to a higher quality selection of products, the consumer often walks away a lot happier in the end. It also helps support the local economy, which is more important now than ever. Here’s why you should shop with your local grocery store in Alexandria, IN:
- Personalized service: The number one benefit of shopping with a mom-and-pop store is that you’re not one of the faceless many. When you become a regular at a local grocery store, you’re more likely to get employees who will go above and beyond to get you what you need. Big chain stores can be cheaper, but they’re limited by corporate policy.
- Better produce: When you buy produce from larger chain markets, the fruits and vegetables are picked in bulk weeks beforehand and shipped from faraway distribution centers. Local markets often have relationships with local farms, reducing the amount of time it takes to get your food to the market. That, in turn, means that the plants get to be picked at their peak, rather than weeks earlier. Produce loses its nutrient content the longer it sits uneaten, so it’s truly better to shop small in this case.
- Support the local economy: From local vendors to creating jobs, shopping with small local grocery stores in Alexandria, IN recirculates more money into the local economy. Chain stores tend to recirculate about 13.6 percent of their revenue into the local coffers, whereas local markets send 52 percent back into the community, including charitable donations, jobs and local spending with farmers, butchers and other vendors. It’s clear that shopping local has a much bigger effect on the town you live in than if you shop with a large chain market.
- Help create better jobs: Finally, local shops create better jobs on the whole. Big chain stores may be able to hire more people, but it’s often for much lower wages and few, if any benefits, and displaces local workers. The bigger the city is, the less likely a chain store will pay their employees livable wages. Local stores, on the other hand, are personally invested in having reliable workers, so they’re far more likely to pay their workers well and offer them an employment package that fits the cost of living in their area. After all, if you can’t work for them and afford to live in the area, they’re less likely to be able to retain workers.
Overall, local grocery shopping has a far greater impact on the community in Alexandria, IN, beyond your personal satisfaction and the quality of the selection. When you make an effort to spend your money locally, it fosters a better standard of living and town pride.
Ready to shop local? Horner’s Midtown Market offers the finest selection of groceries in the area, with online shopping and home delivery available. Plus, ask us about our meat bundles to save even more!