Thinking Outside the Big Box

So I'm driving through town today and notice that the little tea shop has closed. That just bums me out - there are way too many vacancies in our adorable downtown and I hate to see another small business bite the dust - especially one that did so much renovation and beautification of main street. But I ask myself, hey self, did you go to that tea shop? Did you support this little business whose demise you mourn? Why no, self, I did not. It really made me think about supporting my local stores, shops and artists. They don't exist just to make the town look postcardesque and quaint.

I know, everyone talks about thinking outside the big box of corporate America - and that's great and all, but really, honestly, we all shop at Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, etc - we have to. We're trying to have a civilization here. But when we can, we really have to try to remember the little guys. Of course, I'm a little guy - one teeny jeweler in a sea, an ocean of jewelry designers on etsy. So of course I tend to think about the fate of us independent artists. But this holiday season, I'm going to continue supporting my fellow artists on etsy, but I'm going to remember my local businesses as well.