Shop smaller

Local business is thriving everywhere, including on Main Street in Mount Morris, with several successful shops and restaurants lining the street.  Two stores that opened earlier this year are Wendy’s Pantry and Drew’s True Value Hardware Store.  Wendy Pospesell-Allen, owner of Wendy’s Pantry, stocks the shelves almost exclusively with New York State products.   She sells many local brands including Once Again Nut Butter, cheeses from East Hill Creamery, Nunda Mustard and Ketchup, and Hopp’d and Brewed sauces, a line of barbecue and hot sauces started by former Mount Morris residents.  Her coffee shop sells Finger Lakes Coffee and maple candy from Sweet Sarah’s in Perry.

Wendy thinks the ‘shop local’ movement is becoming more popular.  “More people are coming into the shop to buy gift baskets made exclusively of local products,” says Wendy.  She also said that sometimes it can be hard to find local products, so many people come to her store as she sells many brands that can be difficult to locate elsewhere.  She is working hard to promote the ‘shop local’ movement, and has enjoyed a positive response.

The Drew family  that owns Drew’s True Value Hardware store has been in the hardware business for 30 years, in Buffalo and Leicester before coming to Main Street in Mount Morris.  Colleen Drew said that people have been very supportive of the business and it’s been going very well.  “People enjoy the convenience of being able to buy hardware products closer to home and have been supportive of shopping local,” said Colleen.  She said that some customers are fixing up large, historic houses and that it is exciting to help them with all of their restoration needs.

 

Fred’s Not Here! Really, he was, but I spoke with LeeAnn Mumbach at Sundance Books. She shared concerns similar to many other area businesses. “If you don’t shop local there won’t be any place left for people to shop [local].”  As a fan of Independent book stores, I would add that browsing in stacks adds to quality of life; yea, it’s an activity that makes life worth living.  Larger bookstores and online book options can never take the place of the intimate and personal feel of these small, indispensable retailers. Sundance Books is a small, local Geneseo, NY independent bookstore that opened in 1972.

Most small shops have a past – such as Sundance Book’s building in Geneseo, which used to house a barbershop.

 

 

 

 

 

Right next door to Sundance Books, Ellie Phillips at Buzzo’s Music Store pointed out that you lose more than stores when you don’t shop local.  “It [shopping local] helps the community; the sales tax you spend locally goes to your community; when you shop online it’s not helping your property tax.”  “There is nothing in the malls you need,” shared Gary, a Buzzo customer who was wrapping up a purchase. Ellie added that “you can touch things, feel things, see things and try things on.”

Al Bruno, AKA Buzzo, also reminded for me the most important aspect of shopping local, community connections.   He let me know that a local craft brewery, Dublin Corners Farm Brewery in Linwood, NY, was serving up beer (of course), Cheesed and Confused food truck and live local music Tim Bucci and friends – including his friend Al Bruno  later that night.  “Buzzo and Beer,” quipped my partner when I asked if we should go, “who could ask for anything more!”

Nails On Commercial owner MaryAnn Aurisano believes that people frequenting and supporting local businesses “boosts community morale.”  Many of the people who own these businesses have or had children in area schools.

The presence of small businesses in small American towns “brings back something nostalgic.” Really, having people come in, sharing with the community “just feels good.”  “This,” MaryAnn explained as she gestured at her salon area, “is like the men’s [barber] shops; some people just come in to say hi, sit on the bench and visit.  I like the personal feel where people know who you are and you know that they know that they are not just another customer.”   

Liz Yockel and Michelle Fernaays at Honeoye Craft Lab also believe that shopping local supports community.  More money stays in the community when you buy local and, according to Yockel, “ if you don’t support local businesses you won’t have these places near when you need them.

Local business owners also offer a personal touch that you can’t find with big-box stores or online.  People in the community act as resources for helping customers find the things they need close to home and are willing to custom order items that are not in stock.

The Honeoye Craft Lab is a place for makers to learn new skills and experiment while sharing their love of craft with others. The store showcases local talent and connects shoppers with locally sourced goods. 

 

It’s all about the people (and cats).

Jim Turner and his always helpful and friendly crew at Hemlock Agway offered up an abundance of benefits of community-based small businesses during my recent visit to the store.  I tried to keep up with their fast-talking feedback as they all pitched in.

For starters, there was the people connection.  “ You get to know people” shared Turner, “Some people just come in to talk.”  The old farmers used to come in (most of them are gone now, he added) and this might be the only place they would see each other to catch up.” Some of the people who come in now used to be kids when Turner first met them.  “I enjoy that, the interactions with people.”

Another reason to shop at local stores is to save money and time, “Time is most important, when you think about how much time people spend driving into Rochester.” Shopping in your community keeps the money “going in a circle.”

And, someone offered, some people just come in to see Hemi, the store cat, named, I was told, because “he sounds like a strong motor when he purrs,” and for where he lives, Hemi – in Hemlock.

Turner’s Hemlock Agway is a go to place for year round and seasonal goods for farm and home. 

The Village Grill Family Restaurant was busy as usual during a recent stop in.  A great stop for breakfast and lunch in the village, it is one of those places where you feel like you belong as soon as you walk in the door.

Supporting small businesses, including the places we go to grab a bite during a day of holiday shopping, keep the businesses in the community.  In addition, Stephanie  at the Grill reminded me, “Shopping local keeps the money in the community.”