By Carrie Nolan-Robson | Executive Director, Northside North Shore Chamber of Commerce

As the holiday season is quickly approaching and the hustle and bustle of shopping for loved ones is drawing near, we should consider the importance of supporting our local small businesses that are devoted to our community.

When we shop small, shop Northside, we are contributing to the economic health of the Northside’s 18 communities through supporting local jobs, reinvesting money within the community by essentially generating spending across many local businesses and fostering a sense of community identity.

There are other highlights and benefits of choosing to purchase local goods and services. Personalization with your shopping experience cannot be matched in a big box store. Customer service tends to be better and more personalized to the customer since the owner or employees have a vested interest and passion for the items sold in the store. Customers receive local expertise regarding the products. There may be a story behind a given piece that may be handcrafted or locally sourced, leading to another highlight of offering a unique product and/or experience. Those are things sometimes missing in larger corporate stores.

Our Chamber member, Paraplu Studio, owned and operated by Caleb and Lisa Sisco, is an example personalizing the customer experience.

“In a world dominated by mass production and fleeting trends, we believe in handmade furniture and one-of-a-kind art made from Pittsburgh trees,” said Lisa. “When a client chooses to work with us, they invest in their community as well as the longevity of the pieces that are specifically designed for them. At Paraplu Studio, we source, custom design, and build things to last. In an effort to show, not tell, we communicate this story to our clients by visually documenting every part of the journey so that they can easily understand the process and can share out about their investment if they so choose.”

For those looking for ways to be environmentally friendly, shopping local reduces one’s carbon footprint by minimizing the distance one travels and adding sustainability to materials items are composed of. Oftentimes, neighbors walk to local shopping areas and stores, helping to contribute to the environment.

The goods themselves also help reduce their carbon footprint because the distance that a good is shipped is significantly less if it is locally sourced rather than coming from another country or region of the United States. Textile sustainability is another way to reduce your carbon footprint so shopping at resale shops helps to reduce textile waste.

The Nest is one of our chamber members who embodies this idea by selling high quality pre-loved clothing for children along with cribs, swings, highchairs and other childcare needs and accessories. The final benefit important to note regarding shopping local is the community engagement that is created. Local businesses tend to become actively involved in the community by giving back in various ways through initiatives and events. When a customer supports shopping small and shopping locally, they are boosting the economy within the neighborhood one lives which in turn, helps everyone to thrive.

The American Express Small Business Saturday national push out is slated for Nov. 30. Please go out and support your local community and the small businesses that are in it.