support small businesses

We have moved to a smaller town where it’s easier to do this, because there are less corporations around, though that’s changing. I’ve been really trying to keep my money in my town, by shopping locally. Though, I had to get groceries the other day and spent $300 at Walmart, which didn’t make me happy. This is an ongoing goal.

I used to go to a fancy hairdresser near where I used to work. Ever since I’ve been out of work, every time I need a hairdo, I procrastinate for months and then go to him again. He does a very good job. This time I started thinking I needed a hairdresser near where I live. But it’s hard to change hairdresser – takes courage… there are many haridresser shops around where I live, I walk by them every day, never had the urge to go in.
Today I noticed a new shop a little off the main street, and as I like to look at new shops, I made a small detour to walk by it. Turns out to be a hairdresser’s. I walked by, reconsidered, came back, and sat for a hairdo…
He is very young, and very new, nobody to help him – make appointments, sweep, shampoo, just him doing all the work. He workd very slowly and carefully… it was quite funny.
The result – well, I need some de-mystification. No matter what the man does, I will never be ugly, not a shocking beauty. Just old me. Anyway, he seemed to understand that I don’t want high maintanace, and that I’m not too stylish, and that I like my hair a little wild. He did do the mistake of suggesting highlights. Pff. As if I don’t have the perfect natural color for me.

Maybe I should stop supporting it to such a degree. Nice though they are.

Apart from all other moral reasons to shop on small businesses – which I do support – I have also been thinking: why would people buy from me (when I do sell) when they can go to the big shops? And I’ve decided that we, small businesses, should support eachother. I will buy from the woman who bakes bread at home; I will buy from the woman who makes quilts, the one who designs bugs, and they will buy from me. Then we will have a network of people – mainly women – buying and selling their self-made products. I want to live in that world.

Whenever possible, I avoid big chains. It’s worth a few extra bucks or walking a couple blocks further to Fight The Man and all that. Plus I work at both a small business and at a store that’s part of a chain that’s part of a corporation that has a monopoly on its market niche, so I’ve seen the inside of both.