To the editor:
Physically getting out to shop in locally owned businesses for the holidays is something that I have missed doing over the past two and half years. Aside from exploring and buying unique presents for family and friends, it was reconnecting with people that was the most important gift.
The challenge was remembering names, especially with limited face-to-face time over that time or maybe that is my age catching up too! It proves that humans still require to get out from behind a computer screen in order to feel part of society.
The constant conversation was about how times are changing rapidly.
One of those chats was about the possibility of our downtown losing its only grocery store in April. Like Pinehill, Demarco’s, Passmore’s or Zimbalatti’s , the loss of a locally owned store will be a blow to the neighbouring businesses and residents who depend on access to groceries and fresh produce. Hopefully, there will be other entrepreneurs to step up and fill in the void as food access is key to a sustainable economy.
It would be great to see a permanent Farmer’s Market in the downtown core that was open seven days a week.
The other healthy observation was that even while we are losing some of our homegrown businesses there are new residents who are adding fresh enthusiasm to businesses that would otherwise close. It is this injection of newcomers that reminds me of a similar influx of new Canadians during the 1950s and 1960s. Now many of those offspring have become established business owners, or elected officials at the city, provincial and federal levels in our community.
So, with a new year, congratulations are in order to the businesses who survived the pandemic and hopefully, the threat of a recession is just that. Needless to say, we all have a responsibility to support local businesses in one form or another. Success attracts other businesses to our city which benefits our community as a whole.
David Thompson
North Bay