This year, for Christmas, my family decided to purchase presents exclusively from local businesses. From eccentrically themed boutiques, to family-owned restaurants, to the little coffee shop on the corner, all of our small businesses allow our community to thrive.
Small businesses are the heart of their community, providing the area with a sense of identity and making their communities feel like home. There’s nothing more charming than walking into your favorite restaurant and ordering “the usual.”
Emilio Estrada, the co-owner of Andale Cantina, cherishes the relationships he’s built with his customers. It all started in his first restaurant, El Dorado, in Iowa City.
“Most of the families (regulars) called it ‘Emilio’s restaurant,’” said Estrada. “After 15 years (in the industry), I know people, and the people know me.”
Estrada strives to provide his customers with a new dining experience. Not just by tasting his family’s traditional, Mexican recipes, but also by fostering a memorable, joy-filled environment. He hopes Andale is a place where people can truly enjoy their time together, not just eat and leave.
“It’s hard to grow in this industry, but people make good memories in this place,” said Estrada. “There’s a lot of competition and we’re very small, so we are happy people still choose us.”
Not only do small businesses build good relationships with their customers, but also with other businesses in the community. Alex Nelson, the owner of Coffee Emporium, prioritizes his partnerships with other local businesses.
“We have partnerships with many other small businesses, which is something the bigger brands cannot do,” said Nelson. “For example we get all of our pastries from The Eat Shop out of Solon and buy all of our milk from Dan & Debbies Creamery out of Ely. We also sell Andy’s pastries out of Tiffin and Smash Juices out of North Liberty.”
The success of small businesses creates jobs for community members and keeps money local, stimulating the area’s economic growth. Supporting small businesses also is more environmentally friendly, as it requires less packaging, reduces transportation emissions and supports local farmers.
“Small businesses make up around 60% of the jobs in our local community. By shopping locally, you keep the money circulating in local communities versus going out of state to the big brands,” said Nelson. “Think twice before going to the big brands. Think of where those dollars are going to end up and if that’s something you really want to support.”
To allow our community to thrive, it’s crucial we support small businesses and their owners. To do this, shop local, write helpful reviews, and share your favorite local shops with your loved ones and promote them on social media. Allow local businesses to succeed.
