They see me get our donuts at Rileys, buy my new lawnmower from Main Hardware, and sit down to eat at Bake 'n Brew. These are among my family's favorite locally-owned, locally-operated retail establishments in Newark, Ohio.
To be sure, they see their fair share of national chains. I have nothing at all against national chains.
I just like a mix and part of the local identity and local flavor, part of what makes Newark Newark is the local places. I hope my kids grow up with access to that mix.
In his book Community Capitalism about Kalamazoo, MI's renaissance, Ron Kitchens writes about a sense of place that comes from a community's unique assets. Place is one of the five pillars of community capitalism.
If Kitchens had written about Newark, Ohio, Rileys, Main Hardware, and Bake 'n Brew would be high on the list.
Local still matters. Let's embrace it.
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