By Jennifer Sadler

Not looking forward to plodding through holiday shopping this season? Imagine a shopping experience where you find creative and meaningful one-of-a-kind gifts, support your local community and contribute to a greener economy. Imagine exploring interesting, independently owned stores with friendly and knowledgeable shop owners and taking your time to choose the perfect gifts instead of battling lines and parking at the mall.

Well, you can have that feel-good holiday shopping experience right here in Columbus!

Buying local is a smart and sustainable practice that helps to support real people in your community. Shopping locally during the holiday season and year-round is more important than ever. When you spend $100 at a local store, $45 of those dollars stay in your community but when you spend $100 at a multinational store only $13 of those dollars stay in your economy. The average consumer, according to the National Retail Federation, spends about $700 during the holiday season. By shifting just a small percentage of your purchases from non-local businesses to independently owned private local businesses, consumers can have a profound impact on the central Ohio economy.

Local independent businesses like restaurants, specialty shops and boutiques, grocery and hardware stores, salons, galleries, cafes, bookstores and more contribute to the vitality, creativity and uniqueness of our neighborhoods. If you want more local choices and diversity, become a staunch supporter of your local businesses so they succeed. While up front costs may be a bit more, supporting your local economy is an investment in the community, and a chance to engage in a shopping practice that reflects your ideals and to give holiday gifts that reflect your values.

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PROFILE: Celebrate Local at Easton Town Center

By Jennifer Sadler

A suburban mall isn’t exactly the location that comes to mind when you consider the shop local movement. But Heidi Maybruck, responsible for bringing the successful Easton Farmers Market to Easton Town Center this year, saw a perfect opportunity to liven up the summer shopping experience and to help educate mall-goers about the benefits of buying local.  With the success of the farmers market, Maybruck realized that the concept could evolve into a project to extend beyond the growing season--and so the idea for the Celebrate Local shop was born.

The brick and mortar shop opened in October and sells exclusively local products at the former Harry and David gift-fruit store at Easton. The non-profit seasonal shop will be open for business through January 31 of 2012, giving Ohio farmers, and the best of Ohio’s artisan food vendors, artists, crafters and other local specialty retailers a presence at Easton during the busy holiday season. In addition to Maybruck, Celebrate Local’s project team includes Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI), Global Gallery and the Easton Community Foundation.

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