Why Shopping Local Is Important.

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I have always been drawn here. 417 has been my home long before I actually lived here. My mom grew up on Kansas and Chestnut, and my dad grew up at West Division's end (now a steel factory). We spent weekends at my grandmother's home playing with my cousins.

 

Now that I am a small business owner, I feel more and more the need to shop local and keep my money in our community whenever possible. Springfield is a plethora of excellent artisans, local shops, great eats, and professional services, like Rosette Studios. Their custom cutting boards are beautiful gifts. Every home has that one recipe handwritten on a sheet of paper and passed down from family member to family member. Rosette Studios laser engraves that beautifully handwritten recipe on the cutting board! This gift will bring joy to the recipient and preserve the handwritten recipe forever. 

 

I hope this guide will spark something in you to shop local for the holidays. A 417 resident owns each business listed; you won't find cookie-cutter shops here. By purchasing your hot Christmas gifts from a local shop or vendor you are strengthening our local economy, creating jobs for your neighbors, and helping to close the poverty gap in our local area. 

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MICHELE DELCOURE

Editor and Owner of Black Dog Urban Artistry