If you are a Christmas present-buyer, it’s go time, and the best present you can give your local economy is to do some of that shopping right here in Pine Bluff.
Mostly gone are the days when one grabbed one’s coat, drove to Main Street and scurried from one business to another to fill one’s Christmas present needs. Yes, Virginia, that was a thing. Watch an old movie if you are not inclined to believe us.
That said, there are still Christmas present needs and there is still the requirement to do some “shopping,” no matter if that is done while sitting in one’s pj’s and on a device and sipping hot cocoa or actually walking into a place of business. So you have work ahead of you, whichever way you go.
Because the internet is a wild thing, there will undoubtedly be items that are only found in the almost limitless repository of businesses and websites. Want some organic maple syrup for that picky waffle eater? You might have to let your fingers travel to Vermont for that.
But for a lot of other items, consider thinking first about what you can find right here or in White Hall or somewhere in Jefferson County. There are lots and lots of boutique shops where wonderfully unique presents can be found, and restaurants where, we are guessing, the owner or manager would be happy to sell you a gift certificate.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Why all the bother?
Think helping local businesses and think tax dollars.
First, there is the mom and pop locally owned business that is always there when you need them. They also keep tons of local people working. In fact, a huge portion of the American workforce gets their paycheck from a small business. And those employees walk out the door on a Friday afternoon, and they go out to eat and buy gas and make a house payment and otherwise keep the wheels of the local economy turning.
Then there’s the local contribution to the tax base. Buying something local assures you that the sales tax will stay here and stay in the state of Arkansas. The business also pays other fees and such, all going to help pay for the city’s support of its police and fire department, its street department and myriad other entities that make life more efficient and enjoyable.
And with the sales tax dollar, those departments have a better chance of flourishing.
So there you go. No one recommends you to get swept away in the buying maelstrom that December brings, but we do recommend spreading some of that hard-earned cash around where you live. As we’ve said before, doing so makes the Christmas lights shine a little brighter for everyone.