Small businesses are the backbone of every community. They provide much-needed goods and services, support other businesses, and create jobs. But they also do something else that is just as important: they help build a sense of community. A thriving small business scene helps make a community a better place to live, work, and play. 

Local companies, like Holmes Lawn & Pest, directly serve communities in Utah like Sandy and the rest of the Salt Lake Valley. Here are just a few of the ways small businesses contribute to the health of their communities.

They Make the Community More Livable

Small businesses add to the vibrancy and livability of a community in so many ways. They provide gathering places for people to connect, whether it’s over a cup of coffee, a delicious meal, or a new outfit. They give us places to go when we need a special gift or just want to treat ourselves. They enliven our streetscapes and make our neighborhoods more enjoyable places to be.

They Support Other Businesses

Small businesses help create an ecosystem in which other businesses can thrive. When you shop at a locally owned business, chances are good that they will in turn do some of their own shopping at other local businesses—helping to support even more jobs in the community.  What’s more, research has shown that for every $100 spent at a local business, $68 stays in the community—compared to only $43 when spent at a national chain store. 

So when you shop small, you’re not only supporting local jobs, you’re also helping to ensure that there will be more local businesses in the future—providing even more jobs and adding even more vitality to the community.

They Help Preserve Our History and Sense of Place

Local businesses give communities their unique flavor and character. National chains may be convenient, but they offer little in the way of connection to place—and often lead to the homogenization of once-distinctive communities. When you patronize local businesses, you help preserve your community’s one-of-a-kind personality—and ensure that future generations will be able enjoy it as well. 

They Empower Entrepreneurs and Create Jobs

Small businesses are job creation machines—accounting for two-thirds of all net new jobs created in the US since 1995. And when you buy from a locally owned business, you can be sure that your dollars are going right back into the community through payroll and benefits for employees. 

What’s more, supporting small businesses is a great way to invest in entrepreneurs—our neighbors who have taken the risk of starting their own business chase their dreams. In today’s economy, that kind of risk taking is more important than ever before—and it deserves our support! 

Support Local Business!

Small businesses matter—to their customers, their fellow small business owners, and most importantly, to their communities. When we shop small and support local businesses, we help make our communities better places to live, work, visit, and raise our families. We preserving our history and sense of place while also investing in entrepreneurs and creating jobs