A tough decision...what Friday happy hour cocktail to have (wine? whiskey? you can't make up these tough scenarios right?). No, this post isn't actually about THIS tough decision (big sigh of relief), it's about a real one.
I'm talking about the tough decisions that lay ahead for all of us. Coronavirus has halted life as we know it, and small businesses everywhere are wondering if they will ever open their doors again and whether they can financially hold out any longer. Small businesses are the heart and soul of this country, and most of us would readily agree that we love and support them everywhere, and that their absence would make this country a lesser place. When you come into a new city, anywhere in this country, it's the collection of small stores, boutiques, bookstores and restaurants that bring charm to the place. You don't drive into Austen Texas and look to go shopping at the local Target. No, you go to the cute downtown, and stroll thru the darling stores local to that area, the ones that give the area its flavor. You eat at the unique restaurants (chances are you aren't searching out an Olive Garden), and you experience what that city is all about. That's what small businesses do across this country, they bring the flavor and spirit into every single city.
Which brings me to the part about tough decisions. I was talking to my girlfriend today, and she mentioned a cookbook she had just bought. I asked her where she bought the book, she admitted it was Amazon she bought it from, and then we managed to launch into a discussion about how it's important to buy books from a small business (in particular we talked about a bookstore in Oregon called Powells). You know what I realized though? Neither of us had done it. I had wanted to buy books from Powells on a couple of occasions but they were back logged and the wait was a couple of weeks (I think they have since cleared the backlog), and because I didn't want to wait, I ordered it from Amazon. I know, I'm almost too embarrassed to even admit that. It's true though, I succumbed to the "right now" spirit of American consumerism.
The truth is I "try" to buy from small businesses a lot, and I "try" to buy sustainable products, but the hard to admit reality is I mostly do it when it's convenient for me and I'm like most of Americans, I've become super spoiled and haven't forced myself to sacrifice much. I want things FAST, I want it for good price, I don't want to have to sacrifice convenience because I'm busy and value my time. Basically, I make up excuses as to why I don't want to do the hard work, and make the tough decisions, because I hope that I don't have to (or maybe I think that I shouldn't have to--I might as well acknowledge my entitlement here).
Yes, when you shop in a small business, you sometimes get less selection. Sometimes the prices aren't quite as good. Sometimes you have to wait longer for a product. Sometimes return policies, or exchange windows aren't as good as big box stores. It's not always the easiest choice, and that's the truth. I know for myself personally, I need to be willing to make the tough decisions more and know that it's worth it, because if it's one thing I have realized with this whole covid-19 crisis, it's that we have a lot to lose when we lose small businesses. They are fragile, and they are in jeopardy. Do we really want to live in a country where our options are Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Forever 21, Macy's etc,? All the personality, the heart, soul, ingenuity and individuality gets ripped out. None of us want that, so the question is how can we change our behavior right now to make sure that doesn't happen? The big stores won't go out of business, but small businesses will. Amazon is going nowhere.
So I guess what I'm saying is that even though I've worked in a small business for the last 20 years, I know I have really only made my commitment to small businesses when it was most convenient to do so, and not when it wasn't. NO MORE, I'm going to make the tough decisions and support small businesses whenever humanly possible. Trust me, I'm addicted to Amazon Prime too, but now more than ever, we have to choose what is most important to us and we have to stand up for that, the time has come.
I started to look today for some outdoor pillows, and found myself by routine going to the big online retailers...Joss & Main, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, and even Amazon. I stopped myself though, and I went onto Etsy instead. What I found was a whole world of awesome handmade outdoor pillows in lots and lots of great fabrics. Yes, it'll take longer to get them. I may end up spending a little more money. However, I feel good supporting someone's small business and it is consistent with my goal. The lure of Amazon has seduced me, ordering something and getting it the next day for super cheap, it's very hard to resist. I'm not saying Amazon doesn't have its place, but the ramifications for letting it take over are devastating. The truth is I value a hand written note from an Etsy shop owner more and I have to live by that value with more integrity.
For all of you who've already had this full revelation and supported OUR small business for this very reason, thank you. Thank you for getting it. Thank you for making the tough decisions and sticking with us thru all the headaches that sometimes attach themselves to any small operation. In the end I have to believe that the short comings of small business are far exceeded by the contribution they make to our country, and for that we have to sacrifice sometimes. Actually, it's not even about what we sacrifice, it's really about valuing what we GET more than what we sacrifice, because we do get an awful lot and there's nothing like the vision of a future with significantly less small businesses to drive that point home.
Signed, ME {lv}
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