I love a good story…do you?

A few weeks ago in Scoop from the Coop I shared my love of the weekly farmers markets. The reasons I appreciate farmers markets hold true for supporting local businesses in one’s own community as well.
Shopping local helps sustain and build a strong community, and it just feels like the right thing to do but what I love most about shopping and supporting local is the stories.
It’s so great to hear the story behind the various shops, businesses, chefs, bakers, barbers, artisans, farmers, butchers etc. After all, there is nothing like seeing how a group of talented ladies who shared the same hobby and passion for vintage & local turned it into a thriving business they like to call Spruce Collective, finding out how the newest bakery came up with a name like Duft & Co or sending your boys to a good old fashioned barber shop, or having the butcher at the meat market with the thick Dutch accent direct you to the best cut of beef, having someone fill up your gas tank, wash your windows and even check your oil at Hub Motors Gas Station, hearing the daily specials at Restaurant 62 as they list off the local cheeses, produce and meats they use in their mouth-watering dishes or buying blueberries and produce from the market where you can see the patch and gardens out back and that’s just the tip of the iceburg (…ha ha…get it iceburg, as in the lettuce).
There are lots of others, local gems like renowned artisan cheese-makers, award winning vintners, soap makers, a honey farm & meadery, potters, dairies, berry patches, apple orchards, organic flour mills and bakeries, chocolatiers, artisans, craftsman and more who offer unique and quality products and also have a great story to share.
I’m glad that my love for ‘a good story’ behind the quality products or services I choose to support also makes a big difference and help to build a strong and sustainable community.
Have you got any local gems I need to discover, I’d love to hear about it?

And to find out more about the importance of shopping local check out this infographic.