08/12/2026
π‘π’π§ πͺπππ‘ π§πππ₯π'π¦ π¦π¨ππππ‘ππ¬ π πππππππ‘π π§π’ πͺπ₯ππ§π.
π‘π’π§ πͺπππ‘ π§πππ₯π'π¦ π¦π¨ππππ‘ππ¬ π π¦π§π’π₯π¬ π§πππ§'ππ πππ§ ππππππ¦.
π‘π’π§ πͺπππ‘ π§πππ¬'π₯π πππ’π¦ππ‘π.
How about we give locally owned businesses that kind of attention πͺππππ π§πππ¬'π₯π π¦π§πππ π’π£ππ‘?
Because here we go again.
Another locally owned business announces they're closing and suddenly everybody wants to talk about them.
Radio stations are talking about it.
News outlets are writing stories about it.
pages are sharing it.
People are commenting about how sad it is and how much they're going to miss them.
And every damn time this happens, I think the same thing:
πͺπππ₯π π§ππ ππππ πͺππ¦ πππ π§πππ¦ ππ§π§ππ‘π§ππ’π‘ πͺππππ π§πππ¬ πͺππ₯π π¦π§πππ π’π£ππ‘?
And this isn't about one business.
We've watched this same thing happen over and over again.
A locally owned business opens its doors every damn day trying to make it.
They employ local people.
They donate to fundraisers.
They sponsor kids and community events.
They support other local businesses.
They give back to this community.
And most of the time?
ππ₯πππππ§π¦.
Then they announce they're closing and suddenly everybody gives a damn.
Now the radio stations want to talk about them.
Now the news outlets want to write about them.
Now pages want to share them.
π§πππ§'π¦ πͺπππ§ π£ππ¦π¦ππ¦ π π π’ππ.
And no, I'm not blaming the media for businesses closing. I'm not blaming the community either. Businesses close for a hundred different reasons.
π§πππ§'π¦ π‘π’π§ π§ππ πππ π‘ π£π’ππ‘π§.
The point is, if you've got thousands β or tens of thousands β of people following your radio station, news outlet, page or organization, why the hell aren't we using some of that reach to talk about locally owned businesses while they're still here?
Tell people where to eat.
Tell people where to shop.
Tell people who's doing something great.
Tell people who's giving back.
Tell people about the family that's been busting their ass for 10, 15 or 20 years trying to make a living in this community.
πππ©π π§πππ π§ππ πππππππ‘π ππππ’π₯π π§ππππ₯ πππ’π¦ππ‘π ππππ’π ππ¦ π§ππ πππππππ‘π.
And the rest of us aren't off the hook either.
If you love a local restaurant, eat there.
If you love a local store, spend money there.
If a local business treats you right, tell somebody about it.
Share their post. Tag them. Recommend them. Take your friends there.
Because "So sad π’" doesn't pay the electric bill.
"We're really going to miss this place" doesn't make payroll.
ππ’πππ ππ¨π¦ππ‘ππ¦π¦ππ¦ ππ’π‘'π§ π‘πππ π πππ π‘ ππ¨ππ’ππ¬.
π§πππ¬ π‘πππ ππ¨π¦π§π’π ππ₯π¦.
They need attention while they're open.
They need stories while they're open.
They need shares while they're open.
They need people walking through their doors while they're open.
Because we are getting pretty damn tired of watching locally owned businesses get more attention for closing than they ever got for fighting like hell to stay open.
ππ’π‘'π§ πͺπππ§ π§π’ π π’π¨π₯π‘ π§πππ .
πππ©π π πππ π‘ πͺππππ π§πππ¬'π₯π π¦π§πππ πππ₯π.
