Where do you do business?

Justin Boyette is the Finance Manager at Friendly Ford. He doesn’t live in Wallace- but when he needed garden tools- he went to Marshburn’s Ace Hardware. There is a Food Lion near his home- but he stops at the Food Lion here to get his groceries. Why? Justin knows the importance of supporting the community he does business in. The people in the hardware and grocery store are his customers- the folks near his home are not likely to come to Wallace to buy a car.
Justin learned the lesson at an early age when he grew up in Clinton. He was going to get a watch for his birthday, and had seen one in Fayetteville he liked, but thought they should check the jewelers in Clinton also. He found the watch he wanted- and at a much better price....There’s no place like home.
It is true that there are many things that are not available to us within the town- or even the county limits- apparel, shoes, books, and some trendier choices are in short supply. But there are just as many categories that we have depth in. Furniture and home décor easily comes to mind. Definitely gift items. Though we don’t have the big box stores that barrage us with commercials, there are some good deals to be had in electronics and appliances if you take the time to look.
We are bombarded with outside advertising and we seem persuaded that the deals exist only at the national chains- when in reality, the people who are local business people will work harder for your business than any college kid working at a chain store ever will.
There is no way to measure the importance of small business in a town- but in Duplin County, Wallace has the largest diversity of small businesses. If you added the number of jobs they produce, and the revenue they generate- it would be greater than you thought. Though there will be superstores and other stores following it coming down the road, the lifeblood of our community is in it’s small businesses and the options they offer.
The challenge to the business community is to develop businesses that meet the needs of the people- whether that is by merchandise selection, pricing, hours of operation or by offering superior customer service. These will be the challenges both in today’s economy and in the future as the face of retail changes locally.
Many towns across the country have come to understand the importance of shopping local- and many Wallace business people know how important it is to look to their neighbors when they need something. The Duplin First Council works to make the county aware of how important it is to do business within its borders.
Just because the price of gas has dropped a bit- don’t be so quick to run to Wilmington when you need something- take just a moment to take a look at what we have to offer in the town and county- and when you can- shop local!