Shopping local during the holidays isn’t just about convenience or checking names off your gift list — it’s about strengthening the fabric of our own community. When we choose to buy from local businesses, we invest in people who live and work alongside us. Additionally, shopping local aligns with sustainability values. Buying gifts made or sold locally reduces the environmental impact associated with shipping goods across the country—or around the world. Small businesses often source products in ways that support environmental stewardship, and by choosing them, we can help build a greener future.
There’s also a personal joy that comes with shopping locally. When you walk into a farmers market or a local shop, you’re not just another customer — you’re a valued community member. You can see the pride on a maker’s face as they tell you about their craft or hear the gratitude in a shop owner’s voice when you choose their store over a big box retailer. These connections add heart to holiday shopping.
So, as we prepare for the holiday season, I challenge you to think about where your dollars go. Instead of reaching for the convenience of online giants, consider the long-term impact of your purchases. Support a local farmer, pick up a handmade ornament from a nearby artisan or treat a loved one to a gift card for a neighborhood café. Together, we can create holidays filled with meaning, connection, and the power to make our community stronger.
– MetroParks sustainability manager Kelly Bohrer
The 2nd Street Market has been a downtown community asset for 23 years. Over time, the Market has weathered the many challenges the country has faced; economic recessions, a world pandemic and political divides, but through it all it has thrived due in large to dedicated vendors and the continued support the community has given them. “Shopping Small” was integral to Dayton’s economic history long before it became a catch phrase during the holidays, but it means more than just economic sustainability; it implies supporting your community.
Whether it’s the Market, the Arcade, the Oregon District, Front Street or all the other wonderful micro businesses in our Dayton neighborhoods, they all provide unique vibrancy to our city. The entrepreneurial spirit is embedded in our DNA and continues to drive people to take ownership of their dreams. Those dreams won’t thrive without the support of all of us intentionally buying local and valuing the strong sense of community it can provide.
As manager of the Market, I get to experience this community spirit every week, seeing the simple joys it brings to all who visit. I see wide-eyed babies, taking in all the sights, sounds and tastes of the Market and toddlers to seniors grooving to the wonderful music performed in the dining room.
It’s heartwarming to see staff and volunteers lending a helping hand to disabled patrons or the multiple groups of retired folks who gather every Saturday morning. And let me tell you, neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of morning will keep them from meeting up with their friends to share in the spirit of the Market.
Whether finding that perfect holiday gift at your favorite local business or attending the Market every weekend in the summer for the abundant fresh produce, you will experience the warmth people radiate who truly love doing and sharing what they do. Everyone has a contented smile when they leave the welcoming environment like the Market and other local businesses have to offer. As the year winds down let’s continue to keep Dayton strong by valuing “Shopping Small.”
- 2nd Street Market manager Lynda Suda
