Harlan Kirgan
The Eunice Chamber of Commerce has launched a promotion to encourage area residents to shop locally.
“We want to encourage the citizens to shop local. Think before you head out of town because shopping locally affects our sales taxes that pays for our law enforcement, firefighters, city works. All of that goes into how the city grows and progresses,” said Gabe Ortego, president of the Chamber.
“If we are going to spend money it is better to spend it where we can see the fruits of our labor,” he said.
The promotion includes Chamber Board members visiting businesses over the next several weeks.
“We are going to have a list of questions,” Ortego said. The businesses will then be featured on the Chamber’s social media.
“Every day we will have a business that will be highlighted,” he said.
The promotion also is intended to inform businesses about the services the Chamber offers, he said.
Francine Hughes, Chamber executive, emphasized the impact of shopping locally. For every $100 spent in town at a locally owned business, $45 stays in town, she said. If the money is spent at a business owned by a chain, $14 stays in town and if the money is spent online only $1 stays in town and that if the delivery person lives locally, she said.
“Spending money at home is better for the economy and better for our businesses,” she said.
Ortego said much of what is bought online can be found locally.
“For us to continue to have things, we have to support our community,” he said. “The businesses here are the ones that support the football program, the basketball program.”
He added, the Chamber gives scholarships. “We want to support the people that support us.”
Ortego said the idea for the promotion came as the community contended with the impact of the COVID-19 slowdown.
People were at home and ordered online, he said. “You don’t realize you could go to True Value, or one of the other stores to get the item you are looking for.”
Launch of the promotion comes just before one of the big shopping events in Eunice — Noel on the Prairie scheduled Nov. 14 and 15.
“It is probably the biggest shopping weekend in Eunice, The Chamber is a co-sponsor this year,” he said.