Like everyone else, I am kinda addicted to internet shopping. It’s just so convenient and often I am able to purchase items for less. Until I owned Oakland Vision Center, I never really understood what “shop local” was all about.
Why should you spend your hard earned money in Oakland versus just buying it on the internet?
1. Make your local, unique community thrive.
Isn’t it nice just walking down the street and going into the local cafe? Maybe check out local stores for spices, a gift or t-shirts? Just kick it in your cool looking neighborhood with restaurants and positive energy? When you spend your money in your community, it comes back to you.
Sadly over the past 10 years we have seen bookstores disappear. We have seen clothing boutiques go out of business. We have seen the unique mom and pop shops replaced by large corporate entities. Who needs another Victoria Secret?
2. Create jobs in Oakland.
If businesses get busy, they hire more people. Purchasing on Amazon may create more jobs, but it creates jobs with people that you will likely NEVER interact with. When you walk into Oakland Vision Center, you are greeted and helped with a human interaction that cannot be replaced by a computer. A smile and warm greeting is priceless.
3. More community and public services for you to enjoy.
I would like to drive down my street and have a city where the landscape is maintained. The litter is picked up. Where it’s safe to walk to my car after work by myself. Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Some of these things are paid for by Oakland homeowner taxes, but a significant amount of these dollars comes from small business property licenses and taxes. When you spend your money on Amazon, Oakland never sees any of that money.
4. Support the people in your city.
When customers and patients make the choice to spend their money at Oakland Vision Center instead of the internet, I am so happy. As a business owner, there is so much pressure to support your employees emotionally and financially. All of my employees want a raise and I definitely want to give it to them. It becomes a simple math equation at this point: money in = money to my employees. Shopping on the internet truly hurts my employees that work so hard everyday.
You may spend a little bit more, but ultimately . . . you are spending your money on creating a better lifestyle experience for yourself in the city that you live in: Oakland.
A sincere thank you from the bottom of my ❤️ to my loyal customers, patients and staff. Thank you for supporting Oakland Vision Center for the past 40 years and thank you for supporting the local businesses in Downtown Oakland.
Please embrace #shoplocal and spread the word to every person that you know. It matters.
Love and ?,
Dr. Tanya Gill
