Independent Retailers Week coming up

The Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Gardnerville want to remind residents that July 19-25 is National Independent Retailers Week, celebrating the uniqueness that locally-owned businesses bring to a community.

"Local retail businesses are superior generators of wealth for the community,"said BillChernock, executive director of the chamber. "Every dollar spent at one local business stays in town a little longer as profit for other local businesses. Local businesses that expand create jobs at all pay levels.

"Every dollar spent locally also furthers the possibility that some of our unique businesses will grow and perhaps expand out of our area."

Chernock said local retail business owners and employees often have more knowledge and expertise. He said the benefit of going to a local business for a product or service is that local businesses often specialize, creating better customer service. Music-store owners know a great deal about music, trade businesses usually have expertise specific to the area when it comes to building or repairing structures, florists know flowers, and small hardware-store owners know tools, Chernock said.

He said local retail businesses provide the most new jobs nationally, and new local businesses have the potential to create high-paying jobs in the form of business ownership. Local businesses can also collectively achieve a larger local economy by finding new small niches that are often missed by nonlocal businesses, Chernock said.

"National Independent Retailers Week is a great reminder of the importance of small businesses to every community,"he said. "Make it a point to seek out and shop at an independent retailer during the week."