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Main Street Connect-Mass. accepts signed letters to the editor. Letters may be emailed to jpaluzzi@mainstreetconnect.us.
What is a community?
Michael O’Driscoll of O’Driscoll’s Butchery in Northborough wants everyone to think about this question. Mr. O’Driscoll has owned and operated a butcher shop in Northborough for the past 18 years and he is seeing a trend toward people shopping the large box stores.
The local businesses in every town give back to the community in ways that maybe we don’t all see or realize. The next time you are at your child’s football or soccer game look at the back of their uniform. The name there will be local business from town that has given money to support the local sports team and the uniforms probably came from U Save Sports. Hire your local electrician, plumbers and carpenters, for they are probably coaching your children’s teams.
You might be at your child school fair, your church fair or even the local senior center the food and raffle prizes will have been donated by local business owners like Lowes Market, AJ”S Restaurant, The Steakloft Restaurant O’Driscoll’s Butcherm the Zecco Bros. Bark, Loam and Mulch and there are so many more to mention.
The local business owner supports your community by hiring local high school children, mother’s retirees and individuals with special needs.
The large superstores like BJ’s or Wegman’s aren’t supporting the community on this level. They don’t buy advertisements in the local papers or support your local clubs, churches schools or sport teams.
Michael O'Driscoll is asking you all to think about your community and who lives and works here. He is posing a challenge to people in small communities everywhere, not just Northborough, to pick one small business a week and shop local.
You might be surprised that they aren’t expensive, like some people may perceive. Small businesses hold sales and the customer service you receive is nothing like the large superstores. They will get to know you and you will get to know these people who own these businesses.
Michael O’Driscoll asks when your out with other people and have had a good experience at a local business start the conversation, spread the word When you shop at local business’ you will start to run into friends and neighbors and that helps create a stronger sense of community.
SO SHOP LOCAL!!! Support the people who help support your family!
Charlene Vandawalker
Northborough
Thanks for this letter. Looking forward to a trip to O'Driscolls. Also consider a look at Mass Local Food (masslocalfood.org). (fyi-this is for information, not an endorsement Also, I am not a producer and do not stand to profit from this comment). Local businesses will only survive if we support them. Big box stores are a reality of life, and they employ a lot of people. But let's hope that our existing local businesses survive, and that we can create the demand for more to come along.