BookPeople of Moscow is a member of Buy Local Moscow, the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, and the Moscow Chamber of Commerce. We support local businesses whenever possible. Why? Because we appreciate living in a vibrant community with a healthy retail core full of shops that meet our day to day needs, owned by local folks like us who care about our community and who work hard to make this a great place to live.
Sure, shopping online is "convenient" sometimes. Sometimes it also seems to cost less money. But is that convenience and that time in front of a screen a fair trade-off for all the time you'll have to spend recycling that extra cardboard, not to mention the environmental costs of manufacturing that cardboard, shipping overpackaged packages, and the extra fuel burnt for delivering that little package directly to your door? Is it a fair trade-off for the very real possibility that services that we need on a daily basis will not be available, because the businesses that provide them failed due to lack of regular, consistent support from locals? How convenient will it be if filling prescriptions, buying groceries and gifts and housewares and clothes, or printing posters for your upcoming event, can only be obtained via the internet and Fedex or UPS, or by visiting Spokane?
Please see this informative website https://ilsr.org/initiatives/independent-business/ and this startling brand-new study http://www.civiceconomics.com/empty-storefronts.html about why we encourage everyone to shop locally for all things, including for books and gifts at BookPeople.
Here is a page of informative articles on the topic: http://www.bookweb.org/advocacy/spotlight-on-amazon
Here is the webpage of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, another great resource for those who are interested in advocating for independent businesses and need statistics and solid data: https://ilsr.org/initiatives/independent-business/
Here are some of the businesses and business people that we patronize regularly for our business needs:
•Melissa Rockwood - R Design
•Allegra Printing
•Cutting Edge Signs
•Moscow Food Co-op
•One World Cafe
•Cafe Artista
•Hodgins
•Fork Refrigeration
•Moscow Building Supply
•McCoy Plumbing and Heating
•Presnell-Gage Accountants
•Me and My Truck