The Holiday
Hometown Advantage
“Main Street” is making a comeback in cities across
America, and Gilroy and Morgan Hill are part of
the trend. This isn’t some homespun revival. On the
contrary, it’s a modern movement led by people who
want to save their cities from becoming bedroom
communities.
gmh
TODAY met recently with some creative and capable
folks in Gilroy and Morgan Hill who are helping to make our
“Main Streets” better than ever by creating economic vitality,
a shared sense of place, and a healthy community.
Shop Local, Shop Small
In this holiday season, Shop Local and Shop Small programs
shine a light on the South County business community. One
example is Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday got its start in 2010 as the brain-
child of American Express. Over the next five years it gained
national recognition from the White House, the U.S. Senate
and governors and mayors in all 50 states. Thousands of
organizations and individuals have signed up to rally their
neighborhoods around the day. In 2014, an estimated $14.3
Billion was spent on Small Business Saturday, and last year, an
unprecedented 95 million people shopped small businesses in
their communities.
In 2016, Small Business Saturday is emerging from the
shadow of its siblings, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with
good reason.
Unlike Black Friday, there’s no queuing up in the pre-dawn
hours in front of some big box store and fighting the crowds
to find the best bargains until your aching feet say ENOUGH!
There’s no need to scour countless websites on Cyber Monday
for the latest “trending” gifts, hoping the stuff you ordered
truly is “as advertised,” arrives before the holidays, and no
one hacks into your online accounts. And neither of these
efforts fatten the coffers of local city general funds.
Small Business Saturday offers a welcome alternative. On
November 26th, head into downtown Gilroy or Morgan Hill
with family or friends. Don’t forget your holiday gift giving
and party planning lists. Local merchants want to know how
to serve you well and win your loyalty. On top of that, when
you shift a percentage of your spending from online and
national businesses, you boost the flow of dollars circulating
in our local economy.
Shopping within the City of Morgan Hill and the City of
Gilroy benefits our region through the sales tax it generates
for each City’s General Fund. According to John Lang in the
City of Morgan Hill’s Economic Development Department,
“For every $100 of (taxable) purchases the City receives $1
into the General Fund to pay for parks, road repairs and
other services.
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
gmhtoday.com