As you go into the spring season, consider seeking out local solutions for your spring consumer needs.

“When you shop local, you are investing in a person and their business, versus a chain,” Hyatt & Sims owner Dana Henry said. “If it’s a choice between shopping a chain in Athens or in Madison, I’d rather you shop here, because all the tax money goes to support our services — our roads, our infrastructure, our offices.”

Local businesses are the entities that create local events and local revenue.

“When you shop with a local person, you are buying into them, their business, and their business model,” Henry said. “By and large, your local business people are the ones supporting your local events.”

When you invest in your community and its local businesses, your local businesses invest in you in return.

“When you keep your business local, you are investing in the people who are more likely to invest in you. So, it becomes a very reciprocal deal,” Henry said.

With the eve of spring quickly approaching, you may be considering building or renovating your residence or commercial building. As you plan projects, consider local home improvement options.

“One reason to shop local for electrical is our customer service goes above and beyond,” Inline showroom manager CJ Jones said. “If you have something go wrong, we’re here to exchange it or fix it. It helps with the growth in Athens. Especially, we’re continuing to see more and more builds,” Jones said. She explained that supporting local businesses supports job growth.

“Everybody that works at Winter Homes lives here in Athens or Limestone County, and so we live in the communities that we work in. We have the ability to grow with Athens,” Josh Wolfe, spokesperson for Winter Homes and Winter Timber, said.

According to Chamber of Commerce President Pammie Jimmar, small businesses are the backbone of the Athens-Limestone community.

“Small businesses fuel our economy; small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our success depends on its sustainability. As a consumer, you can make a conscious decision that helps support the small business community,” said Jimmar. “Small businesses build community. They are the character and charm that make people want to live, work, and play in Athens-Limestone County.”

Investing in small businesses by consuming their products supports the local Athens-Limestone community.

“By supporting a small business, you’re also supporting the local community. Every purchase made from small businesses helps the owner provide wages and salaries for their workers and puts food on the table for the families of their workers,” Jimmar said.

She went on to say, “spending money with a local small business helps to stimulate the local economy and keep business booming within the local region. Small businesses develop relationships with their customers and bring business back down to a personal level.”

Shopping local creates local revenue, which in turn can be used for growing and expanding the local infrastructure and economy.

“Shopping locally helps our local economy. In comparison to larger chain stores, local businesses actually recycle money back into our local economy,” Athens Main Street Executive Director Tere Richardson said.