Monday, November 27, 2006
Editorial: Look for a community's spirit in local stores and shops
Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram
The holiday season is often decried for its rampant consumerism, but it's also a time when downtown districts don their finery and remind us all of the importance of place.
Like the lights and ornaments twinkling on the Christmas trees that have graced Monument Square for six decades, healthy downtowns host a constellation of shops, eateries and galleries to attract the shopper's eye.
But they don't just brighten a neighborhood; they are the historic mercantile heart that gives a place character and charm -- something malls and retail plazas simply can't offer.
Across the country, many downtown districts are suffering from competition with malls' convenience and the big buying power their brand name stores enjoy.
A potent counterpoint is the Portland Buy Local Campaign, which launched this summer and is dedicated to promoting locally owned, independent businesses in Maine's largest city. Based on a Boulder, Colo., model, local businesses have banded together to promote not only their own interests but the common weal.
"Local" means the owners or the majority of owners live in, or close to, Portland. The business must be registered in Maine and be headquartered in the Greater Portland area. Publicly traded companies are not eligible.
You can recognize the 200 participating businesses, range from accountants to restaurateurs, by the "Buy Local, Keep Portland Independent" stickers in their windows.
Local businesses tend to spend their money close to home. And they often foster communal identity in ways that money alone can't measure -- as a gallery supports its circle of artisans.
Portland's Old Port and its many neighborhoods support the city in so many ways. This season, return the favor when the time to shop arrives.
© 2006 Portland Press-Herald
Fair Use Notice
This site occasionally reprints copyrighted material, the use of which has
not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make
such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues
and to highlight the accomplishments of our affiliates. We believe this
constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided
for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is available without
profit. For more information go to: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.