Supporting Local

My little city recently added a great incentive to support and shop at local Businesses within Puyallup.
Puyallup Passport encourages you to be a "Tourist in your own Town."

Basically its a coupon style book that gives you everything from Free items if you visit a specific location to savings and $$ off whatever that business is offering. 
And who doesn't love free?!?! 
For $20 you can be a Tourist for sure, but the best part is supporting local businesses within Puyallup.

Consider supporting a local business like this little saying that has been floating around the Internet:
"When you buy from a small mom or pop business, you are not helping a CEO buy a third vacation home. You are helping a little girl get dance lessons, a little boy get his team jersey, a mom or dad put food on the table, a family pay a mortgage, or a student pay for college.
Our customers are our shareholders and they are the ones we strive to make happy."

I'm blessed to work for a small business within Puyallup and knowing that something as simple as this little passport can bring traffic to not only the business I work for but also those around us.  Small businesses is what makes this country so great!

Yes there will always be those places like Wal*Mart or Target, but instead of Starbucks why not support the local coffee shop - one where the owners kids might go to your school.  Your argument might be that the prices are too high, but I think you might be surprised.  After all, these businesses have to compete with the local "heavy weights" but the long term effect in helping those smaller businesses around us far OUT-weighs those who are heavy in the market.

One little business featured in the Passport I know the lady personally and she is trying to really hard to get her business off the ground.  Its so important because her husband recently lost a corporate job and now they are putting everything out there to get her business going.  Its dreams like hers that are really something to admire.

I also work for another company that started out as a small espresso stand and is now a larger roasting company -- again a company that started out of someones dream that expanded and expanded.  And again, they are local guys who keep everything local and also love to support local.

When you consider the quote above about how a small mom or pop shop and how you supporting them might bring food to the table vs. helping a CEO pay for another vacation home it really puts things into perspective.  It reminds me that my dollars really Do go far even in this economy.  And while it might seem convenient to go to places that are more of a chain because of the prices, I think I need to put more focus on staying right here in my town supporting the "little guy." 

For more information about the Puyallup Passport please visit HERE or on their Facebook page.  Passports are available now and you might just win a car! Who doesn't like an incentive to buy!?!?


(**Please note I was not paid for this blog post - I purchased my Passport just like everyone else did and did not receive any sort of discount either.  I just think its important to buy local!!)