Buy Local, Buy Artisan, Buy Small, Buy Independent

There is a lot of 'buy' this way phrases being thrown around as the holiday season starts (which seriously?  lights already?  We haven't even had Thanksgiving!  Just stop it already and wait until Black Friday to put up your flippin' lights!!!) which puts me into one of my regular rants.  I'm with buy local as it helps the financial status of your local community.  I'm with buy artisan as I would far rather have a product produced by an individual than mass manufactured in China.  When feasible, I'm with buy small and buy independent   But here's the deal... the moment you couple that with not the big box stores or chains you've lost me.  The reason being... the majority of those big box stores and chains started as the little guy.  They started small.  If you personally have a ban on all things imported and are only buying American - then I'm right back with you.  But if you are just against the guy that marketed his idea and grew, then you are forgetting that it started with one guy with a great idea.  Add to that that he wouldn't have made it big if we, as consumers, hadn't supported the idea and helped it come to fruition.  The dilemma also comes from a 'buy now' mentality.  I admit... I tend to be guilty of this one.  I go to my local, independent bookseller to pick up a book that my kids needs for extra credit at school and they don't have it.  They could order it for me but it will be a week before it gets in.  I go to Barnes and Noble and they not only have it, but I had the option of reserving it online first so noone else got to it before me.  Add to that a nice Starbuck's drink and I'm kinda in heaven.  I have no doubt that  the vein at Mr. Grumble's temple just started to throb.  He loves the independent bookseller.  Here's my thing though... Barnes and Noble started as one guy who thought he could do it better:

"Leonard Riggio, the company's chairman, began his bookselling career while attending New York University in the early 1960s.  Working as a clerk in the university bookstore, he became convinced that he could do a better job serving students, and he opened a competing store of his own.  With a small investment, Mr. Riggio established the Student Book Exchange (SBX) in Manhattan's Greenwich Village in 1965.  The store quickly became one of New York’s finest bookstores, known for its knowledgeable staff, wide selection and great service.

By the 1970s, Mr. Riggio’s thriving business, which included six other college bookstores, acquired the flagship Barnes & Noble trade name and flagship bookstore in Manhattan, which had fallen into decline. Within a few years, Mr. Riggio transformed the Fifth Avenue store into "The World’s Largest Bookstore," with 150,000 textbook and trade titles." (http://www.barnesandnobleinc.com/our_company/history/bn_history.html)  

This creates the dilemma... am I not allowed to buy from Barnes and Noble because Riggio did a better job, such a better job that Barnes and Noble is now the largest bookseller?  Or is it okay because at one point he was the independent guy with a stellar customer service credo and by having an entrepreneurial spirit he now employs ALOT of people thereby doing good for the local community through gainful employment and its benefits.  You don't even want to start me on the community service projects and donations this company does.  It is one of many big box or chain retailers that started as one guy.  McDonalds and Walmart are a couple more examples of US Companies that hire thousands of workers.  Often times having a much better, longer term career than they would have had elsewise.

Walmart, as one example, is an American company, hiring American, usually local, employees, is on the NY Stock Exchange that allows American individuals to own and profit from it's success.  And again... another story of a local guy, Sam Walton, who thought he could do better.  Chains like McDonalds, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, Chipotle and Subway allows the local guy franchisee ability of a company with a formula that's already a proven success and brand name recognition.

That said, yes... Walmart imports and sells a whole of of cheap 'Made in NOT America'... crap.  So... if you have the principles of only buying American (or are anti-import, anti-China, anti-Child Labor, etc.) - then don't shop there.  My only caveat to that is to ask... does that local merchant you are buying from based on your anti-import stance stand on the same principles.  While you are feeling good about yourself for buying American, or buying local, or buying independent - if you went into that merchants backroom or home will you find nothing but local, independent and America? And, if you are championing the local merchant loudly - then don't show up at IKEA and then attempt to defend or justify it somehow.

Plus, another reality is that alot of people can't afford to buy elsewhere, so as well as providing stable employment, they provide a price range that allows lower economic brackets to survive.  Would far rather that they thrive, but that's a different rant...

And yes, because we can get it cheaper and faster than the same product that the local, independent guy is making, it does hurt the local guy.  I recognize that.  That's why I said 'when feasible' I do try to buy from the local guy.  It isn't always feasible and it doesn't make me unAmerican or maliciously against the local guy.  It also, by default, shows that I'm not in the lower economic bracket because when feasible I do.

Principles are great, just remember there is more to the picture than just buy local, buy artisan, buy small, buy independent.  So, please, have your principles, attempt to help the little guy thrive but don't make the person standing next to you feel bad for where they choose to shop.