By Angela E. Rodriguez |Staff Writer|
CSUSB students support our community by buying from the small businesses we call our neighbors.
“Small business is what drives the American economy,” said chief economist for the Office of Advocacy, Dr. Chad Moutray, in the article “Small Business Drives U.S. Economy” on about.com.
During times of recession, small businesses are the ones that suffer the most, especially when they have popular, big-name competition that get millions of dollars for their business.
At Paco’s Tacos restaurant off University Parkway and Kendall Drive, student Michelle Greene orders her favorite dish.
There are several fast food chains that serve a similar plate of food, however, when these local businesses are supported, it stimulates our local economy.
“This place has the best burritos here because they taste homemade, not processed and is less expensive than other places around,” said Greene.
Without these mom and pop businesses, we have corporate businesses available, which would have no need to provide variation in our choices for any basic need, including buying food and getting an oil change. A lack of competition decreases both the driving down of prices to catch consumer attention, and the variety of products.
“On my way to school I always stop at Manna Donuts because it’s convenient and I can get my morning coffee fix with my chocolate sprinkled donut,” said student Luis Aguayo.
Small businesses close to campus help create good clientele of students and families that support these locations. “I think some businesses should be supported more! I know there’s Jack in the Box and Baskin Robbins down the street but people got to open their eyes to see what other options we have here, like Tiki Hut,” said Aguayo.
“I actually like buying from small businesses because they have better customer service and I feel more comfortable with the owners because they actually care,” said Greene.
These small businesses give us different variations in price and allow us to not conform to a monopoly; for example at University Book Exchange have lower prices for their merchandise, $5 to $10 cheaper, compared to the original prices at our campus bookstore.
According on about.com in the article “Top Ten Reasons to Love U.S. Small Business,” small businesses contribute to our economy by creating 75 percent of jobs, some of which can help students pay for school.
These businesses follow their own rules when it comes to products, unlike many chains that have to deal with corporations like Walmart.
When local small businesses are supported, customers are giving back to their community, which means businesses that make higher revenue pay higher taxes to support local police, fire department and schools.