"For every $100 spent at a local shop, $45 remains in the community." That's the word from the City of Fort Collins. Shopping locally can have a huge impact on our local economy, and could make your holiday shopping a little easier.

Now, I will not fault you for shopping at national chain stores or online, I do it too. There are some things you can't get locally, sometimes you just can't beat the price of something online,  and sometimes a shopping trip down in Denver can be fun.

What I do encourage is buying things that you can locally. Imagine the help we can all be to our own community if we spend our hard earned money on goods and services that are created by our own hard-working neighbors. Everybody wins.

By choosing to shop in Fort Collins, you support the community's vibrant quality of life and jobs for family and friends. The sales tax collected on those purchases pay for important City services such as police, fire and street maintenance.

And think about some of the more unique gifts you can find local merchants. I guarantee that if you spend and afternoon shopping in some place like Old Town you can find a gift for someone that you would not find anywhere else. And when you are taking the time to find that perfect gift for someone isn't that what you want? Something that says, "I saw this and thought of you," rather than, "The guy at the mall said this was the hottest gift and everyone is getting one."

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For instance, take one of my favorite Old Town shops, 'Curiosities'. I can almost always find a great gift for someone there. Usually something that I've never even seen before and for a pretty fair price. It's just a small  shop owned by a local guy, but they consistently have new, creative and unique products every time I walk in their door.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of local specialty shops here in Fort Collins. I use 'Curiosities' as an example because I frequent the place. But out of all of those local merchants owned and operated by your friends and neighbors, I'll bet at least one of them might have exactly what you are looking for.

I am not an 'anti-corporate' guy. There are some bad ones out there, but there are plenty of corporations that do a lot of good in the world and in our communities.  But we all live in THIS community and I think we should all strive to keep it flourishing.

I know you can't shop 100% locally, but when you can why not shop local first?

Check out this video made by the City of Fort Collins highlighting some of the great things you can find locally and what it can do to help our city.

You get more info and find out some planned holiday events and local gift guides on the Shop Fort Collins First website from the City of Fort Collins.

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