Photo courtesy of Tim Douglas / Pexels

Shopping local is vital for your community.

Steered Straight provides addiction and suicide prevention programs and education to youth and communities throughout the country. Based right here in Middle Tennessee, our entire business was changed once COVID unfolded and states went into isolation. We couldn’t provide our programs to schools since they were closed down and kids were locked down at home. We knew and understood that the need for our programs were greater than ever so we revamped everything into a digital format and continued reaching kids and families virtually. But we were unsure about our future.

Without the financial support, we knew we wouldn’t be able to sustain our operation very long, but we were watching drug overdoses and suicide dramatically increase everywhere. We were learning through data that adolescent drug use was escalating to an all-time high as were emergency room visits and adolescent suicides. We knew that we could not shut our operation down. We had to find a way to continue. The need for our prevention and educational programs were needed more than ever and that need was going to continue to escalate long after COVID was gone.

Our office space in midtown Murfreesboro was larger than we needed at the time, so we decided to open up a small thrift store in half of our office to cover our overhead. We figured we could operate a small retail space while maintaining our prevention and intervention programs. We had no idea that the thrift store would grow into its own operation.

We now have two thrift stores right here in Murfreesboro and they are truly “mission businesses”! Our main store at 845 Middle Tennessee Blvd. is a unique experience which provides a thrilling hunt every day. Our newest store is Steered Straight Too Furniture and Thrift at 903 Mercury Blvd., repurposing all sorts of household items and furniture.

We did not originally expect to be in a retail business. It’s just not what our stated purpose is. But, these retail thrift stores are absolutely vital to our mission. There is a “Purpose in Every Purchase” and that purpose is saving lives. Whether you have been personally touched by addiction or you have lost a loved one to addiction or suicide, it’s a guarantee that someone you know has been affected. Every dollar spent at our thrift stores literally helps us save lives.

The success of our thrift stores is important to us and I wanted to take some time this month to express the importance of not only supporting our stores, but supporting the other great local thrift stores and all of the Middle Tennessee mom-and-pop shops. Supporting local businesses supports local charities, because local businesses donate 250% more per employee to local charitable causes than large, national competitors. You may not think about it often, but buying from a local business actually provides 2.5 times more support to local charities and local organizations.

Local businesses mean a stronger tax base and better use of public services compared to nationally owned stores. This translates into better schools, transportation and emergency response services for you and your family. Locally owned businesses keep their money—your money—local. In fact, compared to national chain stores, it’s substantial. For every $100 spent at a local business, $68 of that $100 stays in the community. National chain stores only put about $43 of that $100 into the local community. When you support mom-and-pop stores in Murfreesboro, more of that stays right here to improve our communities.

My top reasons for shopping local:

Local Economic Stimulus – When you purchase at locally owned rather than nationally owned businesses, more money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses, service providers and farms. Purchasing local helps grow other businesses as well as the local tax base.

Nonprofits Receive Greater Support – Local business owners donate far more to local charities than non-local owners. Without local business owners, there would be virtually no youth sports leagues, clubs or charities. Buying local helps local nonprofits the most.

Unique Businesses Create Character and Prosperity – The unique character of your local community is defined in large part by the businesses that reside there, and that plays a big factor in your overall satisfaction with where you live and the value of your home and property.

Environmental Impact Is Reduced – Small businesses impact the environment in a much less damaging way. Less congestion, less traffic and less pollution. Waste is reduced and recycling is much higher. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, sales clerks at thrift shops have “Green jobs” because they are environmentally friendly jobs. Thrift stores are the largest “recycling” businesses in America.

Most New Jobs Are Provided by Local Businesses – Small businesses are the largest employers nationally. The more jobs you have in your local community, the less you are going to have to commute, which means more time and less traffic and pollution and lower unemployment rates.

Customer Service Is Better – Local businesses often hire people with more specific product experience and expertise for better customer service. You are also going to see these people around town and they are more likely to greet you since they see you often. This builds a much friendlier and more cordial community.

Local Business Owners Invest in Community – Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave and are more invested in the community’s welfare and future.

Public Benefits Far Outweigh Public Costs – Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure and more efficiently utilize public services relative to chain stores.

Competition and Diversity Leads to More Consumer Choices – A marketplace of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.

You Matter More – I talk a lot about exerting influence with your purchasing choices, or “voting with your wallet.” It’s a fact that businesses respond to their customers but your values and desires are much more influential to your local community business than to the large, big-box stores. I’m not disparaging the national chains nor do I want people to stop shopping there, but investing in locally owned stores emphatically invests more money and more benefit into our community.

SHOP LOCAL! And when shopping local, consider the many great vintage shops, resale shops and thrift stores we have here in Rutherford County! There are many community groups that operate small shops and thrift stores, and buying recycled items and repurposed items is not only an adventure, it makes financial sense. When you have visitors from other states, bringing them to a thrift store should be included in tourist attractions because they can always find things they’ll never find where they live. Whenever you travel, always include a thrift store in your travels. You’ll be amazed at the treasures you find in what was someone else’s trash. Not only will you save money, you might find that something that you can resell on eBay or other sites for a nice profit.

Locally owned and run thrift stores here in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County are, more often than not, mission-based businesses. They help local charities and causes. You are helping us change the lives of families across our region and it is very much appreciated. Your donations are also how we keep operating, so feel free to call us for pickup or you can drop by with your gently used items.

Learn more about Steered Straight and pick up our educational materials and videos by visiting our stores:

Steered Straight Thrift Store, 845-C Middle Tennessee Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37129

Steered Straight TOO Furniture & Thrift, 903-A Mercury Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37129

For more information, visit steeredstraight.org or call 615-896-5730 or 615-815-8012.