Daily News Editorial: Buy Local

Our View: Tis the season to give where you live — buy local

by Doug Bauer for the editorial board

…with that in mind, we’d like to commend a pair of grass-roots business-support groups that are helping spread a message that has more importance this year than others. Think Local First highlights the great businesses in Pullman, and Buy Local Moscow serves the same purpose on the other side of the border.

Both have helped organize events that showcased the various local businesses in their communities and raised awareness about the need to give where you live, so to speak.

Buy Local Moscow treasurer and Hyperspud Sports owner John Crock said the group’s annual Winterfest event brings hundreds of people downtown each year.

“It’s a chance for businesses to get their name out and show what they have to offer,” he said.

It’s no secret that the ongoing recession has wreaked havoc on businesses big and small, and the shops and merchants that sell their goods and services on the Palouse are far from immune to its effects. Many are struggling to keep their staffs gainfully employed, and some are no doubt wondering how long they’ll be able to keep their doors open if things don’t turn around in the near future.

So instead of logging on to the Internet to find your gifts or hopping in the car for a shopping excursion to another city, check out what the locally owned and/or operated businesses in your community have to offer.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find, and can rest assured that you’re spreading holiday cheer far beyond the confines of your gift-giving circle.