Looking over the gifts I've purchased for the holidays this year, the realization hit me that all of the items or gift certificates being given to friends and loved ones so far were attained in downtown youngstown.
Taking it a step further, presenting the:
"I Will Shop Youngstown" 100% Pledge. . .
"I, (insert name), will do 100 percent of the rest of this year's holiday shopping will in Youngstown, and I will continue to purchase the rest of the presents for birthdays and other holidays in 2011 locally as well."
Can you take the pledge?
Can you make that extra effort?
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Purchasing locally made gifts is like a huge economic stimulus for the Valley, especially if we do it in aggregate.
In fact, it's downright patriotic.
When you purchase stuff at Best Buy and Barnes & Noble and all those chains, local folks take a small sliver in wages, but the bottom line goes somewhere else outside of the metro area.
Give the gift of investing in your community - buy local.
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Some unique examples:
- All your holiday cards can be purchased at the downtown SMARTS store, designed by local students.
- Our artists in the Ward Bakery Building and Calvin Center Idea Incubator have a wonderful variety of products for both art and utility.
- Have a friend without medical benefits? There's a dentist on the 9th floor of the Huntington Bank Building. Give them the gift of clean teeth, with a gift certificate!
- Think your friends will enjoy a hot stone message or manicure/pedicure? Order them one from William Leonard's Extraordinary Gentlemen!
- Ever have a dress shirt custom made for a perfect fit? Try John Lisko's shop in the Commerce Building!
- Want to share the gift of knowledge with young children? Memberships to the new Science and Technology Museum downtown are available!
- Like live theater? Give a flex pass to the Oakland, and a one to yourself!
- Have a friend who is unable to drive? WRTA bus coupons!
- Have a friend addicted to barbeque sauce? Charlie Staples and cups and cups of love!
- Have a friend who eats too much bbq and needs to shed a few pounds? YMCA memberships!
- Love History? Memberships to the Tod Engine Heritage Park!
- Flowers from Briel's!
- Hardcovers from Dorian Books!
- Beer from the Rust Belt Brewery!
- Sausage from DiRusso's!
this list can become a very long one, but the core question remains the same...
If given the chance, can you exclusively shop local?
Will you take the "I Will Shop Youngstown" 100% Pledge?
Three Working-Class Poems
5 days ago
2 comments:
I pledge.
By the way, my local gift of preference is the annual Mill Creek Park wall calendar. The photos - which are beautiful - are taken by local photographer Scott Lanz and all proceeds benefit the park. You can purchase a copy at the Davis center.
I've also done most of this year's Christmas shopping at the Shop in the Gardens, in the Davis Center. I did buy a custom jigsaw puzzle for my grandmother, but used a photo I had taken in Fellows Riverside Gardens.
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