Stepping into this role as Chamber President and CEO has been energizing and deeply meaningful. For the past ten years, I have worked alongside small business owners: people who wake up early, stay late, and pour their talent, heart, and creativity into making our community stronger. I have seen firsthand how much effort goes into keeping doors open, hiring staff, and creating experiences that make Worthington feel like home.
That is why I want to encourage all of us to do something simple but powerful this holiday season: spend local first.
Local Businesses Aren’t “Small” They Are Essential
When you choose to spend locally in the Worthington Area, you are not just making a purchase; you are supporting local businesses and the community. You are strengthening the very backbone of our community.
Across Ohio, small businesses make up 99.6% of all companies and employ 2.2 million people. That is nearly 44% of our state’s workforce.¹ These are not abstract numbers. They represent the shop owners on High Street, the restaurant teams who know your order, the creatives who sell at our markets, and the professional services that keep our community growing.
Small businesses also drive job growth. Between 2021 and 2022, they created 74% of Ohio’s net new jobs.¹ They are a major engine for wage growth, tax revenue, and innovation, and Worthington’s local businesses are very much part of that story.
Your Dollar Stays Local, And the Impact Is Real
When you shop at an independent local business, up to 67 cents of every dollar stays in the community. When you shop at a big-box store, that number falls to around 16 cents.
Buying through Amazon keeps only about 5.8% of your spending in the local economy. In some industries, buying local has been shown to have a 676% greater positive economic impact than buying through Amazon.²
That difference adds up in real outcomes:
→More jobs in our community
→More investment in local programs, schools, and infrastructure
→More vibrant commercial districts
→More opportunities for new entrepreneurs to choose Worthington
Ohio’s small businesses and startups generated $1.7 billion in economic output last year, contributing $77 million in state and local taxes. These dollars support the services that help our communities thrive.³
When you support Worthington businesses, you are not just checking off a gift list. You are fueling the economic engine that keeps our community strong.
Our Local Businesses Give Back Every Season
One thing I have learned over the past decade is that local business owners show up.
They sponsor youth sports.
They donate to school fundraisers.
They support local nonprofits (who organize our beloved community events and care for our neighbors)
They volunteer, serve on boards, organize events, and help make Worthington the welcoming community it is.
When we choose to spend our holiday dollars with them, we are reciprocating that generosity.
This Holiday Season, Let’s Shop With Intention
Amazon is fast. Big-box stores are convenient. But convenience is not community.
This season, I am asking all of us to pause and consider the local option first:
- Pick up gifts from a Worthington Area shop
- Book with a local service provider
- Dine in or order takeout from a Worthington restaurant
- Visit our art galleries, makers, artisans, and boutiques
- Recommend a Worthington business to a friend.
Even one intentional purchase creates a ripple effect. Even larger chains (Kroger, Aldi, Fresh Thyme) in Worthington help employ our neighbors, so we encourage you to keep your dollars here.
We Are Building Something Here, Together
As your new Chamber President and CEO, I am committed to championing our local businesses and strengthening the economic vitality of the Worthington Area. Our small businesses are not just part of our economy. They are part of our identity.
Let’s make sure they feel our support this holiday season and beyond.
Spend locally. Support your neighbors. Strengthen Worthington.
Sources:
(1) https://greatercle.com/blog/gcp-news/small-business-week-celebrating-ohio-s-entrepreneurs/
(2)https://www.indiebound.org/cost-of-amazon
(3) https://jumpstartinc.org/press-releases/ohio-startups-and-small-businesses-drive-1-7-billion-economic-impact-in-2024
