Each week, it seems like there is no shortage of proclamations on the calendar, designed to pay tribute to a certain section of society for their contributions.
A lot of them pass without much of a mention. After all, it’s hard to keep track of the designated weeks or days, unless you have a legitimate connection to one of them.
But some of them should be noticed by everyone.
Small Business Week is one of them.
It’s a week that’s very important to those of us at Estevan Mercury Publications. We recognize the value of small businesses to the community and to the region.
Estevan and other communities in the southeast are lucky to have a diverse business community. These are businesses that allow us to do our shopping and access services close to home, so that we don’t have to drive to Regina or Moose Jaw or even Brandon for our needs.
We can purchase automobiles, food, clothes, furniture, home electronics, toys and so many other items through the small businesses that we have in communities that are in small towns or a small city.
There are also many professional services and companies that serve different industries in southeast communities.
Small businesses are more than just places we can turn to when we need their services.
We have to remember the support that small businesses give to organizations in the community. During the United Way Estevan Telethon last weekend, many small businesses in the Estevan area stepped forward with their support, helping the United Way meet its goal.
There are many other fundraisers in the city that owe their success to the support of small businesses each year.
Small businesses donate to sports teams, cultural agencies, community events and so much more. A community without a healthy small business community is going to suffer.
It’s also worth noting the national chains with a local franchisee. They play a big part in the lives of our community. Many of them only have a few staff members and therefore should be classified as small businesses.
For those who are entering the world of retail, this is not an easy time. We’re seeing the impact of Amazon and online shopping. But remember that Amazon didn’t contribute a nickel to the success of the United Way Telethon, the Rafferty Rumble, Carlyle Fun Dayz, the Bow Valley Jamboree or any other event in the region in 2019.
Yes, Amazon allows you to go online, select what you want and have it delivered to you pronto. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home or deal with long lineups at the stores, especially at Christmas time.
But you don’t get to try on clothes that you purchase, hold onto sporting goods that you want to buy or sit on a couch you’d like to add to your living room.
For whatever reason, these are sacrifices people are willing to make.
The penchant for online shopping is short-sighted. People don’t realize how their decision has negative consequences on their community, or how it hurts local business owners and affects the municipal tax base.
Small businesses pay taxes, or they pay rent to a landlord who then pays taxes to a municipality.
When a small business closes, it reduced the tax base of a community, which funds infrastructure, sports, recreation, culture, protective services, public works and other necessities.
This is why it’s important to support small business in your community, not just during Small Business Week, but throughout the year.
