Opinion: Shopping at small businesses bolsters local economy, reduces environmental harm

Being a college student means attending classes, hopping between club meetings and sometimes working multiple jobs to make ends meet. For many of us, the ethics of our purchasing habits is the least of our concerns.

That’s why some of us understandably turn to large corporations when we need food, textbooks and everything in between.

But the detrimental effects on the environment, the cost to the local community and the loss of a personal touch just aren’t worth the ease.

With Amazon recently announcing the opening of a clothing store in a Southern California mall later this year, large corporations are ubiquitous. In Westwood, there is a Target, an Urban Outfitters and at least three Starbucks within a mile or two of campus. However, that doesn’t mean we should only shop at those stores. Supporting small businesses allows students more personal shopping experiences, more sustainable options and a way to help the local economy.

Small businesses face challenges that large corporations such as Amazon, Target and Starbucks do not. With the shutdowns that occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and a subsequent downward trend for in-person shopping, according to the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, many small businesses could not afford to stay open. In 2020, 41 businesses closed in Westwood.

In these challenging times, students must do what they can to support small businesses that face not only challenges related to the pandemic but also competition from large companies.

There is no doubt big businesses are often necessary. They provide essential goods and services that we rely on every day.

Thuy Vi Nguyen, a first-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student acknowledged her reliance on big corporations. Aware of their detriments, Nguyen added that she has a distaste for her dependency on large businesses.

“I just hate how it’s so efficient that it gets you hooked,” Nguyen said.

However, many small businesses offer similar items to those that can be found at large businesses. With a variety of small businesses in Westwood, students can easily find their essentials without resorting to giant enterprises.

In Westwood, there’s Bollywood Bites, an award-winning Indian restaurant; Diddy Riese Cookies, known for its delicious cookie sandwiches and ice cream; Elysee Bakery & Cafe, which offers a quick bite and mandatory coffee for Bruins; a weekly farmers market on Thursdays; and more.

Small businesses may also have more to offer patrons.

When asked how large companies affect small businesses like her store, Danielle Darnault, founder and CEO of TROVE, a resale shop located on Westwood Boulevard, said she doesn’t see such companies as competition because of the experience customers get when shopping at her store.

“We sell products, but really, our business is an experience. It’s a journey,” Darnault said. “So you kind of come in, and you touch things, and you see things, and you have a sensory experience and then you discover something unique, … and we greet you with such warmth.”

In contrast to the impersonal experience of adding items to your Amazon cart, small businesses foster a warm and welcoming environment, providing some social connection during a period marked by social distancing and isolation.

Not to mention, shopping at local businesses allows students to support their fellow community members, who contribute far more to the character and trajectory of neighborhoods than large businesses can.

“It’s important to remind yourselves and really think about the impact that (supporting local businesses) has on the local community members, and it will be far more beneficial to give money to a small family business than it would be to give it to a large corporation,” said Kyle Schmidt, a third-year political science student and an undergraduate student member on the North Westwood Neighborhood Council.

Small business owners are key members of our community who deserve our support.

Westwood is an important community for Darnault as a local business owner who is a UCLA alumnus and a mom to three kids who attend local schools.

“If you’re someone that goes to UCLA (and) you’re part of this local economy, then the benefit of shopping here will go right back into the community in which you live,” Darnault said.

Sachi Cooper, a fourth-year geography student and an undergraduate student member on the NWWNC, shares Darnault’s sentiment about the benefits of small businesses in Westwood.

“To me, small businesses are the core of any neighborhood or business district. They create community character, provide space for interaction and make one district stand out over others,” Cooper said in an emailed statement. “Some small businesses in Westwood have been here since the development of the Village, and some are new to the scene, but they all provide support and community to students, workers, healthcare staff, and all who come to the Village.”

If the benefits to the Westwood community aren’t enough, shopping at small businesses will also benefit each of us in the long run by reducing the environmental impacts of our consumption.

Shopping at small businesses is more sustainable, especially in the realm of retail. The fashion industry produces a considerable amount of carbon emissions, heavily consumes water and is a surprisingly large contributor to climate change, causing over 10% of global carbon emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Darnault added that part of her mission as a business owner was to address these problems with sustainability and fast fashion.

“There’s so much that we’re doing to combat the issues with sustainability in the textile industry and all the waste that comes from all of our consumption because we’re keeping garments and home goods and jewelry circulating,” Darnault said.

Not only does shopping sustainably allow students to help preserve the environment, but it can also grant them instant gratification knowing that their purchase was made ethically. Additionally, shopping sustainably can provide students with longer-lasting material goods, as sustainable clothes are often of higher quality, allowing students to get their money’s worth.

Small businesses can be more expensive than large corporations, which means shopping local may not be feasible for those who don’t have extra money to spare. Students are also busy with various activities, leaving little time to seek out small businesses. However, no one said making the switch to local business should happen all at once. Bruins can gradually minimize their reliance on large businesses by choosing a couple of goods to buy exclusively from local shops and then expanding from there.

Because of the merits of shopping at small businesses – helping the local economy, contributing and connecting to the community, and choosing sustainable options – students should support small businesses whenever they can.

The benefits outweigh the costs.