Black Friday shopping at Woodfield Mall Friday November 26, 2021 in Schaumburg. (Brian Hill | Staff Photographer)
At local chambers of commerce around the suburbs, the quest has begun: To convince people to shop with their feet instead of their thumbs, in quaint storefronts instead of in big boxes.
In other words, how do they convince residents to buy local instead of ordering off Amazon.com or heading to a giant retailer like Target or Walmart?
How do they convince suburbanites to keep their money in their community instead of sending it off to some distant corporate headquarters?
“After COVID especially I think everyone realized how important local really is,” said Allison Orr, executive director of the Downtown Wheaton Association. “And everyone looks for things to do and ways to support their own community. And I think Wheaton has been exceptional at that. Our community has been so supportive of entrepreneurs and local business, and I think if you look at the composition of downtown Wheaton, you’ll see that.”
You’ll see it in Barrington too, where local merchants create the kind of hometown atmosphere that entices people to move to suburbs like Barrington, Wheaton, Glenview, Naperville and St. Charles.
“Absolutely, shopping local supports the small businesses, and you need shops that create character in your community,” said Suzanne Corr, Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO.
“They’re adding local jobs to your community. They’re also adding the gathering spaces that bring families together and enhance the quality of life in your community. Small businesses are owned and operated by local families who live, work and invest here. They’re involved here, they raise their kids here, they pay their taxes here supporting infrastructure and schools in your community.”
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