Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A one-stop shop to find any local shop.
That’s what Lennox and Addington County’s economic development office has created, providing an online guide for business owners and consumers alike to keep up with Ontario’s ever-changing retail developments. The ‘buy local business guide’ can be found at www.NaturallyLA.ca.
“Our purpose of our business guide is two fold,” explains Stephen Paul, director of community and development services for L&A County. “It’s to provide an opportunity for our businesses to be able to have another conduit to market all the great things our local businesses are doing. They’ve been very creative and innovative in how they’re dealing with these challenges in the form of curbside delivery, online sales or appointments or just being open now. We think it’s important to highlight all the different opportunities in L&A County to buy and shop local.”
For shoppers, the guide will provide updated information on which stores are open as well as any changes to their business practices. For business owners, the site allows them to submit information about what they offer and how they’re operating.
Staying within the boundaries of Lennox and Addington to shop is not only beneficial for the local economy; it’s also good for the health of the community. Anything to reduce the amount of trips outside the region will help to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“It’s really important if you look at the messaging from our Public Health Unit in L&A, it’s stay safe and stay local,” said Paul. “I think local now means so much and it’s extremely important to stay safe but that we support the businesses that have been supporting us and providing the services that we need not only though COVID-19 but in the future as well. They’re a big part of who we are and the economy.”
It’ll also play a role in helping businesses that have been hit hard by COVID-19 closures on their road to recovery.
“Shopping local has always been extremely important but it’s even more important today,” added Paul. “If we can support the local businesses through these challenges, that’s going to help them in the future and help them right now as they try and overcome the big hurdles that they have.”