By Josie Dudek, Copy Editor.
The air is turning colder, days are growing shorter and the feeling of fall is inhabiting the world around us. Summer 2016 brought record setting scorching temperatures across the globe, but it’s about time to bring out the sweaters and Pumpkin Spice Lattes again. So the question is, where do you go to shop and grab your cup of tea before class in the morning?
The Tri-City area is up and coming in terms of small businesses. These range from clothing shops, to bookstores, to cafes giving a wide variety of choices. Even so, are we really giving back to the small businesses like we should? Almost everyone has been to a Forever 21 or H&M, but how about Ferne Boutique in Bay City? Without looking a little deeper, small businesses are harder to find, but does that make them worse than big businesses?
In a money-driven society, it’s much easier for a multi-billionaire company to promote their product to the masses through social media, billboards, television commercials, etc. which is a huge factor on why people choose them. Larger companies, like Starbucks for example, are also great to their employees, giving them a lenient dress code to promote self-expression, health benefits, college tuition reimbursement and flexible scheduling. Starbucks also holds their “Barista Promise” which means they will remake your drink for you until it tastes just the way you want it too. Due to it being a large-scale company, all stores are run basically the same, which ensures a quality beverage every single time you go there.
When it comes to a small business, this is not always the case. With the owners of the business closely watching over their employees, clientele and their product, consistency is not necessarily always key. Having worked for a few small businesses, I can tell you to never get used to anything they provide. Business owners are constantly trying to find better ways to bring in new customers, but through doing this, they often lose a few regulars. Smaller businesses also, normally, do not offer any kind of benefits other than an employee discount and, through my experience, are much stricter on dress code, as many of them think having a more stringent dress code will positively affect business, when it really only pisses off the workers.
From a different perspective, being a customer is much more satisfying when dealing with a small business. Nothing feels better than walking into a coffee shop where the employees greet you by name, or know your order by heart.You normally don’t get that at a bigger chain unless the workers have been there long enough to recognize you, which, in some cases, is more rare than at small businesses.
All in all, I am a creature of habit and love my Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha each and every time I get it, but I am also a fan of going to that quaint coffee shop downtown where everyone knows my name.
So what is your opinion? Do you like small or bigger businesses better? Do you disagree with everything I said or did I take the words right out of your mouth?
