The perfect sweater, the signature piece of jewelry and the rare, vintage wall art may be just around the corner.
In a time when many consumers readily flock to retail chains, local business owners are urging them to look closer to home.
For Amy Strother, owner of local boutique Noelie Harmon, the decision to shop locally means building a thriving community.
Strother said typically $68 of every $100 spent at a local business re-enters the community, compared to $43 from national businesses. She said the amount of money spent at local stores heavily affects roads, schools and other community necessities.
Strother said college students, in particular, buy products based on trendiness and cost effectiveness without being fully aware of other important factors.
“The younger generation is not being taught the importance of buying consciously,” she said.
All products sold at Noelie Harmon meet at least one of four criteria: being eco-friendly, socially responsible, made by a local artisan or sold at a fair trade price. Strother said each item is labeled with an icon such as “Local Artisan” to add sentiment to a patron’s purchase.
Like many local stores, Strother said her boutique has taken on a specific look catered to the typical Baton Rouge consumer. Louisiana-made crafts and artistry gives the store a Southern flair, she said.
Kellye Bond, owner of Gallery Bohemia, shared similar sentiments about her art, vintage furniture and jewelry store.
Bond said a surge in local sales would not only help the community, but it could also strengthen the local arts scene. Often times, Bond said some of the local artists featured in her gallery store have to relocate to flourish.
“To buy local is keeping people here in the community,” she said.
The price gap for items bought at local businesses and national chains vary. Bond said depending on the individual item and business, either type of store could sell a pricier product.
However, Bond said local novelties offer uniqueness and variation while most department store products only provide one repetitive look.
“Department store merchandise is mass produced – it’s not an artist putting their time, energy, blood, sweat and tears into it.”
Time Warp owner Josh Holder and his team coined the term “Mall Dolls,” a playful moniker for those who only follow trends and shop at national chains.
“We’re not saying that shopping at the mall is a crime, we are just saying that mixing it up a bit isn’t one either,” he said in an email.
While items at Time Warp are procured from across the country, Holder said the vintage boutique actively participates in the community. He said the store’s era-specific garments are picked based on “rarity and trend,” but the local consumer is always in mind.
Holder said one goal of the boutique is to encourage consumers to venture from the norm and find an individual style, a service that many local businesses can provide.
Holder and Strother often collaborate through store discounts and events, but Strother said camaraderie among local business owners is lacking statewide. She said it’s important for businesses to support and work off of one another to prosper.
Strother said Small Business Saturday, the equivalent of Black Friday for small businesses, is a step in the right direction for local shopping efforts. She said last Saturday’s installment of the collective shopping day was a success.
