Do You Support Local Business or the National Chains- or Both?

Do you get your coffee at the local coffee shop or Starbucks?  When you’re looking for a musical instrument is ABC Music in Livermore and Benicia your first thought?  When you need a new lamp do you go to Custom Lamps and Shades on Solano Avenue in Berkeley or is Lamps Plus a better choice for you?

Throughout the East Bay, the Diablo Valley and the Tri-Valley there are small businesses competing for your dollars against national retailers like Best Buy or Barnes and Noble.

We asked the followers of our Patch Facebook pages the following: Is it realistic to believe that small locally owned businesses can compete with national chain specialty stores like Lamps Plus, Starbuck's and Barnes and Noble? When you have the chance, do you usually support the locally owned store over the big name national brand store?

Here’s what we heard.

J. Michael Reagan, commenting on the Berkeley Facebook page wrote, “Yes,I support all my local businesses in West Berkeley first. We are on a first name basis, and customer service guarnteed. NOT interested in big box robots with low wage part timers that have to suppliment income w Food stamp program SNAP or no medical coverage like Walmart or McDonalds where corporate fat cats live LARGE. I do shop sales @ Pak and Save (Safeway) 40th and San Pablo which can save a lot over new SAFEWAY on Shattuck.Same food,different demographics.”

Amber Edwards wrote on the Pinole-Hercules Facebook page, “I try to support local first. I hate having to go to giant stores like Walmart and target, but I figure I'm really only buying stuff that wouldn't be at a small specially store like toilet paper and laundry detergent.”

And Bob Willson wrote in the Albany Patch Facebook Page, “Absolutely; I managed to survive the onslaught of Home Depot, Target, Wall Mart, Lowes, CVS, plus others, while putting my boys through school. Right there on Solano Ave. @ Flowerland Nursery. Not to mention 7 family owned Nurseries within a 5 to 10 minute drive from Solano & Pomona! “

There is even a new shopping day called Small Business Saturday.   It’s a marketing vehicle that encourages people to support the locally owned small businesses in their towns by shopping at those businesses the day after Black Friday.

What do you think?  How important is it to shop locally?  Tell us in comments.