Recordpub.com - Brimfield and Kent chambers: "Shop local' for holidays

The Brimfield and Kent Area Chambers of Commerce are teaming up to promote local holiday shopping and to remind potential buyers in eastern Summit County of the exciting holiday gifts available in Brimfield and Kent.

The campaign, which combines both print media with television, begins this week and continues right up to Christmas week.

“In addition to great variety of holiday shopping the two communities offer, we want those who live in Kent and Brimfield to realize the economic advantage to shopping at home,” said Lori Wemhoff, executive director of the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, who doubles as executive director of the Central Portage Visitors Bureau, which is joining the two chambers in the promotion.

The convenience of shopping near home saves time, but also keeps the money spent circulating in the local economy, she said.

Scott Mikula, president of the Brimfield Area Chamber of Commerce, sees the campaign as one that will help local businesses that belong to either of the two Chambers, “since,” he said. “We will specifically mention those businesses that are current members of our two chambers,” Mikula added.

With all the new stores in Kent and Brimfield, many of which have moved in during the past year, shopping local, according to Anne Moneypenny, president of the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, “is a very attractive option.”

“Holiday shoppers have so many more options available to them than they did only a few years back,” she said.

Moneypenny cited the Kent revitalization led by the Phoenix Block on East Main Street and the development of the Cascades on Tallmadge Road in Brimfield Township that offer shoppers, “a wide variety of merchandise priced very competitively.”

In addition to the two chambers and the Central Portage Visitors Bureau, Dan Smith, the economic development director for the city of Kent and the former executive director of the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce, is lending his support to the campaign, although he said, no city tax money is involved.

Smith listed 10 advantages gained by shopping locally.

Building a stronger community: “Entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-kind business and distinctive character,” he said.

Encouraging local prosperity: “Local businesses owned by people in the community are more likely to invest in our community’s future,” he said.

Environmental impact: “Shopping locally reduces the need to burn up fuel and add to our carbon footprint,” he said.

Preservation of the community’s unique qualities: “One of a kind businesses in each community will stay strong and add to the quality of life here,” he said.

Good jobs: “Small businesses remain collectively the largest employers of Americans and if they are strong they will continue to provide jobs,” he said.

Strengthening charities: “Statistics show that local businesses generally provide 250 percent more to local volunteer and charitable endeavors than businesses owned out of the community,” Smith said.

Better service: “Because local businesses are closer, they are more accountable to their customers,” he said. “They have to give better service.”

Stretching your dollars: “Money spent with local merchants stays in the community and circulates here again and again,” he said.

More choice: “Smaller, more local businesses are tuned into their customers desires and collectively can offer more choice in meeting their needs,” he said.

Better use of tax dollars: “Local business require little infrastructure investment that uses our tax dollars and makes more efficient use of public services,” he said. Smith cited www.hometownadvantage. org as his source of information.

Both Kent and Brimfield chambers see the campaign as another way to help dues paying members.

“We believe our chambers exist to help local businesses and this is one way we can do it,” Wemhoff said.