Editor’s Note: In celebration of Small Business Saturday (Nov. 24th), today we’re sharing with you a glimpse of the shops in our hometown (Kidron, Ohio). Enjoy!
I love needing to travel only a short distance to have a good time. Spending time and money at local shops in my area is great because it’s quick, fun, personable, and the people there know my name! I can walk into a bookstore just a five-minute drive from my apartment and they greet me personally when I walk in the door. I’m a regular at the fair-trade shop, coffee shop, and several restaurants in my neighborhood. It’s so nice to be known where I go, and to know the people that are benefiting from my purchases personally. It also feels great to know that I’m contributing to the growth and maintenance of their stores and helping to keep them going.
Spending money locally, in family- and individually-owned businesses, keeps the money that is spent in the community. It helps the towns we live in flourish and continue to grow. Giving business to these kinds of stores instead of big retail chains decreases the huge percentage corporations hold in the economy.
It’s also great to know the people behind the products I buy. I know where the things I’m consuming come from, and who is giving them to me. Things grown and sold locally are also healthier, in most cases. When it comes to Kidron specifically, one of the best reasons to shop local is to keep the people in this great town employed. Everyone here works so hard, and no one deserves to lose their business to big chain stores. Kidron is a very special town because of the people that live here, and how they work together to help each other stay afloat. The people that live here love working here, and they want to and deserve to stay here.
I love the personalized experience that is shopping in my local stores, and I also love knowing that I’m doing the ethical thing for my community. Here are some of my favorite local businesses in Kidron.
- Lehman’s, of course.
This store is a huge part of my childhood, and of my life today. My grandpa, Jay Lehman (in the photo below), loves talking with customers.
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Kidron’s Pizza! Absolutely delicious, and we have known the people that work there for years.
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Homespun Flowers & Fabrics. They do beautiful, handmade work.
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Pine Cone Gift Shop. This is a sure stop when I bring my friends to Kidron to see where I grew up.
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Quince Bakery & Cafe. The friendly staff here make great baked goods and drinks! Their homemade soups are awesome.
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World Craft. This fair-trade store is one of my favorites in the world. Their beautiful, unique products make the best gifts for people. And nearly all of their employees are volunteers.
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Shisler’s Cheese. I remember going here often as a child to get meats, cheeses, chocolates, candies, and more for the holiday seasons.
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MCC Connections [The Mennonite Church’s Goodwill Store]. I used to go here to get clothes for my dolls, but now when I go, it’s to look for clothing for myself.
Other great, local businesses in Kidron that I’m so glad we have around are:
- Eastwood Furniture
- Farmers National Bank
- Kidron Town and Country
- L.E. Sommer
- Kidron Historical Society
- RC Farms / Yoder Family Veal
- Yoder’s Greenhouse
- Weaver Shoe*
- Kidron Kars
- One Meeting Street
- Buckeye Repair
- Gravity Mechanical
- Village Printing
*My mom even takes her high heels to Weaver’s for quick repairs.
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Allison Ervin, granddaughter of company founder Jay Lehman, is passionate about the powerless – children, animals and anyone in need. A freshman at Kent State majoring in international business with a minor in non-profit management, she has served in Indonesia and Central America, teaching English in daycare centers and orphanages. A committed vegetarian, when not studying or cat-cuddling, Allison enjoys painting, listening to the latest music, and thrifting (shopping at thrift and vintage stores).
