I believe in supporting small family-owned businesses. This helps a local family earn a living, and it keeps our money in the local community. I also know that we get better service. This was strongly reinforced when it became apparent a few weeks ago that it was time to replace the 10-year-old Dodge Ram with another, more reliable truck for towing my horse trailer. Like every other hard-working, penny-pinching resident of the PNW, I went first to that mega-dealership over in Idaho that runs a constant stream of radio and TV ads proclaiming itself as “the world’s largest Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealer.”

It’s true that my husband and I could have purchased a new truck at a very reasonable price from that dealership. But before making a final decision on such a large purchase I wanted to be consistent with my inner convictions regarding supporting local business, although I was pretty sure that on a purchase this big our local Ford dealership would not be able to come close.

So you can imagine our surprise and delight that after spending just a few minutes at Jess Ford we were able to match virtually dollar-for-dollar a very similar truck with like options. But more than that, the customer experience and service was truly exceptional. I have a great truck, adequate to safely haul my horse trailers, and I have the reassurance that upkeep and maintenance are just down the road. In fact, before I even left the dealership with my new truck, the first warranty service appointment had been scheduled. I truly believe this kind of service can come from a business that is so integrally connected with the community it serves.

The moral of my story is that not only did I get a great truck for a fair price, I have the satisfaction of knowing that my dollars are being reinvested in my community and helping to create a stronger local economy. Buying from locally owned businesses keeps money circulating closer to where we spend it. This creates a ripple effect as our locally-owned businesses and their employees in turn re-spend our money locally. The more local money is spent locally, the more local jobs and local entrepreneurial businesses are created, and our community’s future prosperity is enhanced.

Debbie Bird