Buy Local: Why It’s Great To Shop At Weekend Markets
Several organizations advocate the importance of buying locally. Why do it? Here are some reasons to go out this weekend and check out the local market:
Reason # 1: It preserves the community’s culture.
The local weekend market is where the people of the community converge to eat, have fun, chat, and mingle. Businesses who sell at these weekly gatherings represent the best of the community—the artists, chefs, and visionaries. This gathering preserves the culture, which benefits the residents and tourists alike.
Reason # 2: Choosing to buy locally stimulates your community’s economy.
When you buy at the weekend market, the artist selling their creations may be a neighbor or someone you went to school with. These are people who live in the same community. This means that the money they earn is most likely spent in establishments in the area. More money spent locally means a more active economy for the people who live there.
Reason # 3: Get better service.
The lady who’s selling you those handmade shoes for babies probably made them. Local weekend markets are an opportunity for the community’s artists and other creators to showcase their products. They are highly knowledgeable about their product and are really passionate about it.
Reason # 4: It’s gentler to the environment.
Local businesses make local purchases and probably manufacture in their backyards.Their operations contribute minimally to pollution, the destruction of habitat, and congestion.
Reason # 5: It creates more jobs for the community.
Small manufacturing businesses employ local workers and create opportunities for those who would’ve been rejected by big employers. The collective trust that dwells in communities is a big advantage to those recovering from hard times or those who are trying to turn their lives around.
Whatever your interests are, there’s going to be something for you in the local weekend market. Why not check the closest one out? Who knows, you might make a friend or two.
I love shopping at local markets because they sell items that you’ll only find there. I noticed that most large grocery stores only offer generic stuff I’ve tried over and over. When I travel locally or internationally (which I do often), I usually go to their markets to hunt for items native to that place. The fact that these items are organic helps.
As for me, I shop at local markets because of the lower prices. Supermarkets tend to have suuuper inflated prices. I think it’s because they add the fee for renting the property. Whatever the reason, the prices make me want to roll my eyes out. I can buy more stuff when I go local.
I usually go to large shopping centers for safety purposes. But there was this one time where I accompanied my boyfriend to a local market. I enjoyed the wide selection of goods and the bargaining sessions with the friendly and responsive sellers. I got more items than I expected so I went back there often. Been shopping there ever since.