The Cautious Opening - Let's Support!

I travel(ed), a lot. I enjoy going to a small restaurant, a quaint shop, a unique street vendor in different cities and towns around the world. These places are what makes traveling so powerful - the unique, well tended, passionate small business owners that fill each country and imbue it with a local flavor not encountered anywhere else. These places have all been shuttered for the past 3 months. While my wanderlust is on hold and the unique items I bring back can't easily be shipped, that is unfortunate. More importantly, the livelihoods and sheer existence of countless small businesses are threatened because they have been forced to close for ~3 months. That is a tragedy! We can help them come back! All of us can shop local and shop small businesses. You will put money in their coffers and more importantly the revenues will stay local, not siphoned off to the corporate headquarters. The employees are your neighbors, buying school supplies for their children with the tip money you gave them. Here in the US, the business owner is the one who donates to the local sports team or ensures that their employees have the right afternoon off to see their child play tee ball. They are the community. They have not been earning revenue for the past 3 months with undoubtedly another 4 months of slow business to endure. Many have stocked up on masks and gloves to keep their customers safe. It kills me to know we will lose a good portion of these businesses and it will change the fabric of towns globally. I have made it my mission to support the local businesses. I am hoping you will too. Many are restaurants that are baring scraping by on take-out and now face trying to open on 50% capacity. Other shops are trying to navigate curb side pickup as socially distanced as possible. There are many people compiling list of "local businesses." Please find them, order food, see what goods are in-stock that you want to purchase. You hated that vase as your Zoom background day after day and want to replace it - find a local business or support a local artist. There are many ways to shop local - please help your neighbor keep their job and keep the community stable.