What does 'shop local' really mean? We asked Athens business owners, vendors and experts

With the holiday shopping season about to kick into high gear, the annual push for patronizing local businesses can seem like a matter of course that's a nice idea if you've got the time and the funds.

Folks in search of an Athens-centric gift can pick something up at any number of downtown shops, but in a town with a rich history of artistry and independent spirit, a closer look will always yield a one-of-a-kind present.

Besides the good cheer one gets from the personal satisfaction of "shopping local," what else does it do when we spend money at Athens businesses? Who and what are we supporting, and how does it impact the city's economy? To answer these questions, the Banner-Herald spoke to business owners, vendors and local leaders to shed some light on just what it means to keep dollars in the community in a time of peak retail sales.

Teaching the value shopping local

Kristen Bach got the idea for Treehouse Kid & Craft when she was pregnant with her daughter. With traditional outlets like Toys R Us and K-B Toys closing stores across the United States, Bach wanted to make sure that the experience of shopping at a toy store wasn't something that future generations of children would miss out on.

As an educator, Bach hadn't set out to become a retailer, and things got off to a rocky start.

"I had to build Treehouse piece by piece because I started it in 2010 while the recession was still going on," Bach said. "No bank would lend me any money because I had nothing to show them. All I had was an idea. When I opened up in our original Broad Street location, I didn't even know what my inventory would look like in the space. Things were pretty sparse at first."

Instead of stocking Treehouse with the kinds of toys found at big box stores like Target and Walmart, Bach filled her store with items made by other small companies, including ones from countries outside of the United States that would be difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. Now located in studio G at 585 Barber St., Treehouse also offers classes for parents and children to practice creative play and to use some of the unique toys sold at the shop.

"Quality is important to me, and a good set of wooden blocks like the ones I've got here will last for generations," said Bach. "People will shop on Amazon more often, so small business owners have to continue to teach the value of buying things that are built to last.

"You get a mental health boost just from walking into a toy store and I don't think there's any age that we should stop playing."

Seven times through goes $1

Shopping with locally-owned franchise locations helps keeps Athens community members employed and funds local sales tax, but the dollars are not necessarily going to stay in Athens-Clarke or Oconee counties. Athens Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO David Bradley told the Banner-Herald that shopping at locally-owned businesses means that nearly 100% of those funds stay local.

"In terms of retail, if I spend $1, that dollar typically runs through our community seven times," Bradley explained. "If I buy your Christmas present for $100 through a franchise, we could estimate that 50% of that money stays here. If I pay $7, $3.50 runs through the community. If I spend that with a locally-owned business, nearly all of that money continues to turn in our economy."

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When compared to franchises, locally-owned businesses tend to have a much deeper investment in the communities that they serve, not just financially but also because the owners choose to live in the Athens area and often become engaged with schools and other nonprofit organizations.

Can individuals have an impact on economic development? Bradley described the conscious choice to shop local as "the single most proactive thing anyone can do" to help stimulate the local economy.

"I don't want to demean the folks who own brick-and-mortar franchises, but keeping money in the Athens community and sharing the wealth is critical," said Bradley. "The biggest enemy that we face these days is not so much shopping in Barrow County or even going to Atlanta, it's buying things on the internet. Because that's not putting anything into our local economy beyond perhaps the wages for the UPS driver."

'We can all help each other survive'

Though Athens is full of locally-owned brick-and-mortar shops overflowing with unique ideas for gifts, many of the city's makers can be found selling their goods at any number of indoor and outdoor market events throughout the year.

For some, setting up a booth is a way to make some money off of their hobby or supplement their income. For others, it's a means of keeping the community thriving.

Hosted three times per year, the Athens Black Market is a pop-up marketplace that spotlights Black- and minority-business owners. The event varies in size and location, but always features dozens of vendors selling everything from fashion and accessories to food and visual art, and includes live music performances, guest speakers and information booths from local activist groups and nonprofits.

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The owner of Ihmani Charms said the bracelets she sells at her booth originated as an activity she and her daughter took up to pass the time during the COVID-19 pandemic, but continued on to become a small business that is used to help raise funds for her daughter's college savings account. Other vendors we spoke to at the Black Market described shopping local as a means of keeping their neighbors' heads above water.

"With the housing crisis here in Athens, you not only have to have a full-time job and sometimes a part-time job, but then you have to have a side hustle as well to be able to afford your rent," said Angela Phinazee, a respected local artist in long standing who performed a spoken word set at the event in addition to being a vendor. "It's so important to shop locally. That way we can all help each other survive."

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Shopping local for the holidays helps sustain the Athens community