Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg is a hub for small businesses and local shopping but local shops have to compete with online competitors. Courtesy of Rachel Freeman
By Rachel Freeman
The holidays are approaching, and the convenience of Amazon shopping can tempt some people to hit the “place order” button instead of purchasing from a local store. In the age of Amazon, it can be difficult to remember why supporting local businesses is important.
For Sean LeRoux, a former USF St. Petersburg student, the choice to shop small or order from Amazon is based on convenience. When he was an undergraduate student, he had more free time to shop at local stores.
LeRoux is now pursuing a law degree and managing a busy life with his girlfriend.
“Amazon Prime and one-click ordering has pretty much become a way of life for us,” he said.
It’s not hard to notice that the city of St. Petersburg thrives on local culture. Central Avenue is lined with an array of unique businesses. Happy shoppers munch on frozen fruit pops and wander in and out of local record shops, boutiques and vintage furniture stores.
Hayley Brahm, a USF St. Petersburg sophomore studying exercise science, said that exploring the city caused her to discover new stores that became her favorites, from clothing boutiques, to dessert bars, to retro furniture shops.
Brahm doesn’t mind spending more if it means she can support a local business.
“I have ordered things from Amazon before because (they were) cheap, but the quality was not up to my standards,” Brahm said. “This is why I would rather pay a little more for better, local, longer-lasting, quality items.”
Brahm pays a lot of attention to the food she purchases. This aspect of shopping local is crucial to her.
“I try to be very aware of what I’m putting into my body and where it’s coming from,” Brahm said.
When it comes to ordering clothes, Brahm avoids Amazon shopping. In her experience, clothing ordered from Amazon tends to be made of cheap materials and fits poorly.
LeRoux’s decision to buy local or order from Amazon is also based on the item he needs. He, like Brahm, prefers to buy fresh produce locally. When it comes to buying office or school supplies, though, he opts to order from Amazon.
“If I want a unique gift for someone, I will head downtown and find a cool small business to support,” LeRoux said. “But sometimes, it’s nice to just be lazy and run errands from the couch.”
Verve Boutique, 915 Central Ave., is one example of a unique local business in St. Petersburg. The owner, Madison White, focuses on carrying ethically sourced clothing.
Verve offers high quality accessories and clothes that are meant to last. None of the items sold at Verve are mass-produced or made in sweatshops.
“We would much rather our customers buy fewer, higher quality pieces that are ethically produced and that will last five to ten times as long as something coming from a mass-produced label,” White said.
White thinks that once people start to understand the environmental effects of supporting mass-produced clothing, they may change their shopping habits. She hopes that more students and young adults will think about buying local and consider where their clothes comes from.
According to Independent We Stand, a website dedicated to educating communities about the importance of supporting small businesses, there are many key benefits of buying local.
“Buying from a locally owned business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation and less packaging,” according to the site.
Allison Jolly, the head coach of the USF St. Petersburg women’s sailing team, said that she doesn’t feel tempted to shop on Amazon, even with low prices and fast shipping.
Jolly feels that it’s too easy to order things online, especially from mobile devices. She fears that once Amazon owns the market, it will raise prices and the public will face a lack of options.
“I was in Walgreens last month looking for a replacement attachment for my Waterpik,” Jolly said. “The clerk said, ‘I guess we don’t carry it. Why don’t you try Amazon?’ I looked at her in amazement. She lives in my neighborhood. I told her that if everyone did that, she and everyone else there would be out of a job. She just looked confused. It was sad.”
Jolly recommends that students who depend on Amazon for their shopping needs try to “get to know the local vendors, shops, people and neighbors who depend on your support.”
Brahm advises students who frequently do their shopping on Amazon to try to spend more time in the community.
“Spend a day walking up and down Central Avenue and discover for yourself all of the amazing local shops that St. Pete has to offer,” Brahm said. “After a day of exploring and discovering, you will feel more than gratification. You will understand why buying local is the way to go.”
