Do You Support Local Business or the National Chains- or Both?

Do you get your coffee at the local coffee shop or Starbucks?  When you’re looking for a musical instrument is ABC Music in Livermore and Benicia your first thought?  When you need a new lamp do you go to Custom Lamps and Shades on Solano Avenue in Berkeley or is Lamps Plus a better choice for you?

Throughout the East Bay, the Diablo Valley and the Tri-Valley there are small businesses competing for your dollars against national retailers like Best Buy or Barnes and Noble

We asked the followers of our Patch Facebook pages the following: Is it realistic to believe that small locally owned businesses can compete with national chain specialty stores like Lamps Plus, Starbuck's and Barnes and Noble? When you have the chance, do you usually support the locally owned store over the big name national brand store?

Here’s what we heard.

Kay Just Kostalnick in Livermore seemed to speak for many throughout the Bay Area when she wrote, “On some things, local businesses can compete. On other things, no way. The big guys kill them on price, and if you are shopping based on price (especially on commonly found and used items), they just can't match price. It's sad. I can tell you that whenever I need a gift, I will always head to downtown Livermore and shop at one of our great shops. I can't remember the last time I bought a special gift at a chain store. I also try to only eat at locally owned restaurants and avoid chains.”

Dubliner Cat Bochow Penate admitted she’s willing to pay extra to support the locals.  She wrote on the Dublin Facebook page, “Locally owned businesses can thrive, provided that the community they're located in has the right mindset. I will always shop local over the big name provided the service is excellent and the prices/quality are within range. I will even pay more for local (within reason).”

There is even a new shopping day called Small Business Saturday.   It’s a marketing vehicle that encourages people to support the locally owned small businesses in their towns by shopping at those businesses the day after Black Friday.

What do you think?  How important is it to shop locally?  Tell us in comments.