This season, support local businesses

If you’ve attended the Vespers Concert, the ChristmasFest events last weekend or are planning to attend a school concert or the Nutcracker in the next week or so, then you’ve surely already felt it: It’s truly the Christmas season.

Our town does the Christmas season quite well. Downtown is filled with festive lights and many shops offer items that go perfectly under the tree or in stockings.

It’s a great time to remember to give business to our local stores and restaurants if you can. It’s been something of a scary time for local businesses, what with a few downtown staples, like Marquis Awards, Hickory Street and Pepe’s, having closed this year. (And a store a bit outside downtown, the Powell Big Horn Co-op retail store, set to follow at the end of the year) Others, such as Cafe 3zero7, WYOld West and the Lamplighter Inn, remain for sale.

Now, not enough business is not the only, or even primary reason, why some of these establishments have closed or are for sale, but it’s also true that steady business is always a key factor to keep our local small business owners in business.

Now, I understand inflation has made many things expensive and the allure of shopping in Billings can be strong (I’m guilty of it as well) but when we can, our family tries to do as much of our shopping locally as possible.

And, for someone like me who shops as little as possible outside the Christmas season, this is naturally the time of the year I make a point to remember our Powell businesses.

Just as the Panthers, Cubs and Trappers always love to see a full crowd in the stands to cheer them on, our businesses deserve some extra cheer this holiday season.