Importance of buying local: Think Neighborly, Shop Your Community!

The June 15th reopening of California could not have come sooner, as we rapidly try to get things as close to a pre-COVID normal as possible. While the masks have mostly come off, the other lingering problems of the lockdown continue to be felt. Especially by our local employers. With normal supply chains still facing big delays, it’s more important than ever to support the local businesses and manufacturers in the SCV.
Record breaking levels of unemployment and business closures this past year have placed significant burdens on our economy. Small businesses comprise most of our local companies and support the foundation of our economy in SCV. Covid-19 did not discriminate either, affecting both large and small local employers, with a loss of 18,000 workers in May and April of 2020 alone. Injection of grant and loan funding was a welcome alleviation, such as LA County’s Regional Covid Fund and the City of Santa Clarita’s Small Business Grant Program. Unfortunately, these programs never had the capacity to reach everyone in need and cannot fix the problems outright. These businesses, so fundamental to the SCV economy, need our support. With rampant layoffs and company closures in 2020, struggling businesses were forced to adapt and find innovative new ways to stay afloat and reach their customers.
Fortunately, Santa Clarita Valley residents and local companies have proven to be quite tenacious. Brick and mortar businesses transitioned to pick-up and online ordering, to accommodate the growing popularity of hybrid office/teleworking. Economist Dr. Mark Schniepp’s overall message from the Spring Economic Outlook was positive, saying “we have already seen an increase in local traffic and residents venturing out to shop and dine in local businesses… An unrestricted economy will likely result in a surge of growth, led by consumer spending, job and income creation, business travel, leisure travel and tourism, and strong demand for public events like concerts, conferences and sporting events.”
We all need to support “Shopping Local.” SCVEDC encourages you to support the Chamber of Commerce campaign that incentivizes residents to visit local businesses. Buying from community employers will help recover our local economy and reinvest in the people and businesses that make our region special.
You have likely heard about constraints in the global supply chain. Much of this is likely caused by the surge in demand as the economy reopens. Consistent demand from consumers will, in time, even out the shortages. So, let’s continue to buy local.

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