What Shopping Local Means to Me

Shopping local means supporting my community and keeping it strong. I just want to share with you that for every $1 you spend here locally, 70 cents stays right here in your local community. That’s so important…for our teachers, for our policemen, firefighters…our entire community. So, please…go out and shop local with your local businesses. Get your coffee from your local, independently-owned shop. Choose the family-owned restaurant over the chain. Go to the places that are local that you love. Because I promise you, they will love you back. The best things come from small boxes and the locals love you more!

Here at Cooper's Gifts | Apparel | Home, we live and breathe the Shop Local Movement and what it means for our community. We don’t believe in competition among small businesses. We’re traveling the same journey and we feel that the stronger our circle, the more we all thrive. To Cooper’s, sharing the “local love” does not diminish our success…it only amplifies it. You win, we win.

Did you know that small businesses give back over 300% more to charities than big box stores do? When you need a donation for a charity that you are passionate about, where do you go? You go to the business owners that you know, and you know that they will do whatever they possibly can to help you. Believe me, Amazon is not going to sponsor your little league team.

Owning a business and having a busy family with 4 kids doesn't allow me to volunteer in my favorite charities as much as I would like to. I knew that with so many worthwhile local charities in need right now, there had to be a way that we could help. That is how our “Round Up” program was born; it is Cooper’s way of giving back. Each month we choose a local charity to to receive the proceeds of the Round Up program through which customers are invited to round up their purchase total to the next dollar amount. Cooper's then matches 50% of the donation collected and cuts a check to that charity at the end of the month.

It may just be pocket change, but it really adds up! We are very proud to announce that over $20,000 has been donated locally, since the Round Up Program’s inception in 2014. We know there is a great amount of need right now but we also know there is a greater amount of generosity. And, our customers are rockstars in the generosity department.

I know we've all seen this meme on social media, but it rings so, so true that it is worth repeating: "When you buy from a small “mom and pop” business, you are not helping a CEO buy a third vacation home. You are helping a little girl get dance lessons, a little boy get his team jersey, a mom or dad put food on the table, a family pay a mortgage, or a student pay for college. Our customers are our shareholders, and THEY are the ones we strive to make happy."

I can attest that when you buy from a small business, an actual person DOES do an actual happy dance. And, here at Cooper's, that person is me. And, my family. So, from us to you, THANK YOU for supporting our, and ALL, small businesses. 

Eat, drink, shop and live local. And, through that...give local.