Shop Local. The definitions of those two little words vary greatly depending on who you ask to define them. To the fresh faced, know it all whiz-kids at these buzz-word driven ad agencies here in town that won’t return our calls for ad dollars, that little tag line might mean a big multi-national conglomerate that employs “local” people – like Wal-Mart or Hollywood Casino.

To this locally minded News-Dog however, shopping local means something entirely different, like patronizing the locally owned small businesses that line the commercial thoroughfares of HNE. Sometimes shopping local means looking past some of the more “urban” tendencies that may exist in those businesses, but this local pooch is way past that. With that said, here’s a little picture guidebook for those of you who insist on taking your business to 135th and plowed ground across the state line instead of supporting your locally-owned small businesses. Follow along closely, this isn’t that tough.

The Dog understands that, for some items, a Big Box retailer might be necessary. Small business, however, is the life blood of any economy – which is why the ongoing work of the Northeast Chamber of Commerce and the Avenue CID is so important to our community. Remember, when you shop local, you’re not making a payment on some corporate big wig’s 68 foot yacht, you’re sending a small business owner’s child to dance class or helping an immigrant-owned business build the American dream. So before you head out to the burbs to drop a couple hundred bucks in the till at the Iowa-owned mega grocery, consider spending your hard-earned scratch where it could make the difference between a neighbor’s livelihood staying open or shutting down for lack of business. So shop local. No, like really local.

For groceries, choose this: 

For prescriptions, choose this:

For advertising, choose this:

In short, choose this: