It keeps money in the community.
Local businesses tend to use other local business to get their products and services. Big chains - not so much. When you get products and services from a Watertown-based business, more of your money is recirculated throughout the community than if you had used a big chain. This helps strengthen the economic base of the community.
Some estimates say that 2 to 3 times as much of your purchasing dollars stay in the community when you shop local compared to using the national chains. See here, and here (pdf) for some studies about this topic.
It keeps our community unique.
Big chain stores can homogenize the look and feel of a town. Buying local keeps the chains from driving out locally owned shops and stores and taking away Watertown’s distinctive character.
You get better service.
Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
Buy what you need, not what someone else wants you to buy.
A true story from your humble webmaster: I'm repairing a double-hung window on my house, and need some new sash weights. Home Depot doesn't carry them because, "No body makes windows with sash weights any more." I guess there's no point explaining that they're surrounded by a few thousand homes that all have windows with sash weights. They suggested I replace the window. Oh, and when I called Home Depot, I was transferred from one department to another (including Home Decor) while they figured out what sash weights were.
On the other hand, the local hardware store had a whole pile of 'em sitting in the basement.
There are plenty of other good reasons for shopping locally. Check out Sustainable Connections, and 10 Percent Shift
