Shop Local First

As Thanksgiving Day winds down, many of us are gearing up for Black Friday, the biggest and busiest shopping day of the year. Retailers dubbed it "black" because it's the day that puts them in the black for the fiscal year.

In reality, it all starts the Wednesday before Thanksgiving when the EagleHerald lands on our doorstep with an especially audible thump, chock full of fliers from every big store in town, from hardware stores and drug stores to big-box retailers. It's a good thing we've got a holiday on Thursday because it takes two days to pore over all the shopping circulars.

Rest up and eat well on Thankgiving because you'll need to sustain yourself on Friday. Go to bed early too, because some stores open in the wee hours of the morning, or earlier. One chamber staffer vows to be up and shopping at 4 a.m.

Think of this when you shop: Every time you spend $100 at a locally owned store, $68 stays in the community. When you shop at a local chain store, nearly $50 stays in the community. It's a good deal for everyone.

We're not telling you not to drive to Green Bay or Escanaba to shop. Those cities are part of our region, and some of our neighbors commute to jobs in those cities. But shop locally first; if you can't find it locally, then make that road trip.

On the other hand, as one of our members asked recently, "If you can't find it locally, do you really need it?"

Happy shopping.