#ygkChallenge: Support Local Merchants

Welcome to Kingstonist’s weekly challenge, dare, resolution or whatever you prefer to call it. Each week we establish a new and ambitious community goal, encouraging our readers, followers, friends and families to step out of their comfort zones and do something great, and hopefully a little out of the ordinary. Consider this your official and personal invitation to join us in completing a small but meaningful achievement. By taking part in this community-wide initiative, we hope to make Kingston a slightly better place to live, work and play. And of course, we also hope that you will feel proud of your contribution and achievement.

This week’s challenge encourages you to:

Support local merchants this holiday season. Oh sure. You could enjoy free parking, a climate controlled environment, obnoxiously repetitive festive music and a long line to see Santa Claus at the Cataraqui Town Centre, but the experience is lacking something important. And it’s not as though the stores in the mall need your money. Making all or even some of your holiday purchases via local, independent merchants can go a long way. Don’t believe me? Go into a store such as Minotaur Gifts and Games, make a purchase, and witness the genuine enthusiasm and appreciation of the owner working the cash register.  If that wasn’t enough, remember that you can save by using Santa Bucks at select downtown stores, and lots of stores are open just as late, if not later than their counterparts at the mall.

Sign up and commit to completing this week’s challenge by commenting below with an “I’m in“, “challenge accepted“, “en garde” or something along those lines. Further, help us spread the word via Twitter and Facebook by sharing the link and encouraging the participation of your friends and family. By joining together in our weekly challenge, we hope to accomplish big and positive things for our community.

Thanks to Cyrus II for the photo associated with this week’s #ygk challenge.