Openings and Closings!

With a new year well into its first month, it’s nice to see that folks are keeping up with the local scene. Just in case you missed something, Jazz and Java has closed, due to lack of support. There was not alot of fanfare, an email sent to customers and a note stuck on the door. A rally to keep its doors open would have been nice. Yellow Dog Books closed…no support. It was a great, local bookstore. My favorite needleworks shop, in a river city, closed its doors before the holidays. The list goes on. On the upside, we’ve had new openings. Have you checked out Old Town Ridgeland and the Square around Canton? Both areas tout locally owned retail shops. The message for today is that we must support these local folks. They have put their heart and soul into business ventures and we, as shoppers, need to make it happen for them. Otherwise, you’ll be seeing more closings. And, speaking of closings, did you hear about the locally-owned newspaper in East Mississippi closing, after 107 years in business? So, for you retailers, get behind the local media – newspapers and radio stations – with your advertising. It’s how they keep their doors open. If we loose our local media, what will be next? Yes, times are difficult and everyone is cutting corners. Let’s rally to help the local folks. Besides, it easier to get in and out of their locations!