Opinion
Letter: Shopping locally benefits you, your community
Shopping locally helps you, your community
Editor, Townsman:
Dear Andover residents:
I'd like to encourage all residents to become supporters of the 3/50 project. The project has a simple premise, namely to save the brick and mortar businesses our nation is built on.
3 - What three independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello, pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keep those businesses around.
50 - If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue nationwide. Imagine the positive impact.
68 - For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.
Case in point: the nation's second oldest bookstore, Andover Book Store, which happens to be in our town. Of course, you can go to a big box store, or order from Amazon, but a call to the store will get you the book in a matter of days, even if they don't have it in stock at the moment. Wouldn't you hate to see this wonderful town gem disappear? So support it!)
Read more about the project and become a supporter at www.the350project.net.
As a local retailer, I'd like to also urge our residents to switch their thinking from "I can't afford to shop in Andover", to "I can't afford NOT to shop in Andover." ¬ You'll support your own real estate values when you decide to, whenever possible, shop in your own town first. This is important even if, for right now, you are inclined to spend less overall. When shopping locally, you are in essence paying yourself back a portion of your spending. By helping keep local retail alive, you help keep downtown vibrant, and storefronts occupied. That in turn supports the desirability of our town, and our tax base (think school budget). Same theory applies to choosing service providers, contractors, etc.
Finally, I'm very encouraged by, and support the recent trend to spend less on consumables, but to spend (maybe a bit more) on quality and style that is made to last, and to transcend time and fashions. There are many shops and service providers in town where you can make these kinds of choices, and enjoy their personalized service to boot.
Merit Tukiainen
Nutmeg Lane
Owner of Night & Day, 63 Park St.
- Opinion
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Editorial: Weighty issues of fall upon us
There's no question the area needed the water. But the cool, wet, overcast weather this week brought with it the relative gloom and reality that summer is coming to a close. You know, real summer - where kids are off from school, vacations are more plentiful, the sun is out past 7:30 p.m., and the town beach is open. With the start of school next Wednesday, Sept. 1, many will devote more attention again to the issues of the day - issues that don't involve sunscreen. Among those deserving of immediate attention are the upcoming state primary, and the plan to replace Bancroft Elementary with an approximately $35 million new school.
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Letter: Our tennis courts don't compete
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Editor, Townsman:
In reference to your story about California Products, it's ironic that while Andover is home to the world's leading manufacturer of tennis court surfacing materials, our high school's courts are among the most poorly constructed and maintained in the region. -
Letter: Youth gave fresh face to Historical Society
Youth gave fresh face to Historical Society
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Editor, Townsman:
on behalf of the board of directors of the Andover Historical Society, I would like to acknowledge the youth volunteers from the Summer Volunteer Program of the South Church. For three mornings this summer, they, accompanied by counselors and chaperones, worked painting the fence in the front of the Amos Blanchard House. They withstood the heat and were pleased with what they did, as we were. - Letter: Help Iraq refugees living locally
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Editorial: Weighty issues of fall upon us
