When it comes to spending money, most of us would agree that getting the biggest bang for your buck is important. Which is why stores like Walmart and Target have grown so large over the years. Selling all kinds of products at low prices is a sure-fire way to bring customers in. But as consumers, we should stop and think about what happens when we ignore small businesses in favor of slightly lower prices. It may seem tempting to buy
that paint, shirt, tasty treat, dog food, etc. from big businesses for a low price, and nobody would blame you. Sometimes we don't have a choice, whether our funds are limited, or only large retailers carry what we are looking for. However, many of us don't realize how vital small businesses are to the economy and all of our different communities. Supporting small businesses is important.
It may come as a surprise, but according to our government, as well as many other sources, small business accounts for about 44% of all U.S. economy activity. Small business is responsible for about 50% of the entire U.S. GDP. On top of that, small business accounts for about 65% of all new jobs created. Those are some pretty hefty stats. I challenge you to do about 5 minutes of research, you will see the phrases, small business is the lifeblood of the U.S. or small businesses are the engines of the U.S. economy.
Now you may be wondering, what does this have to do with farmhouse tables? Well, everything. Many of the businesses that build farmhouse tables are small businesses. There are certainly large retailers where you can buy "farmhouse" tables, I say it with quotes because usually they are not solid wood and cheaply made. But when you decide to build a farmhouse table with a small business, like our business, Generations Marketplace, you are helping your community as well as the economy. Using a local general contractor for your home project, going to a local car mechanic shop, even buying something from a small business like a t-shirt over going to Walmart, will help your community in the long run. These small actions may seem insignificant at the time, but you can read each year, the stats of how important small businesses are to the U.S. and know that your decision to spend a few extra dollars, will actually matter!
