Torn Over Local Holiday Shopping
THUNDER BAY, ON — As the holiday season approaches, local Superior News Now reporter Jamie Fields took to the bustling streets of Thunder Bay to ask residents the all-important question: Will you be shopping local this year? The responses ranged from staunch support to casual indifference to a mild existential crisis triggered by the words “shipping fee.”
“Oh, absolutely not,” said Greg Stenson, 29, who appeared visibly disturbed by the suggestion that he might enter a physical store at any point this winter. “Why would I walk into some tiny shop that closes at five when I can click ‘Add to Cart’ at 1 a.m. from the comfort of my own couch?” Stenson then paused to confirm that, yes, he was actually done Christmas shopping already and that, no, it did not involve a single Thunder Bay business.
Next, Fields spoke with Anne Clarke, 43, who has been contemplating “going local” this year after a friend posted a heartwarming #ShopLocal meme on Facebook. “I mean, it’s a nice thought, and I do want to support small businesses,” she explained, visibly wrestling with the concept of navigating downtown parking. “But I just keep asking myself if supporting them once or twice a year will really make a difference, you know?”
Meanwhile, Trevor Wallace, 36, offered a more modern approach. “I might shop local online,” he said, nodding as if it were some groundbreaking revelation. “I think I saw a store that does delivery—at least within city limits.” When asked if he’d set a spending limit on his commitment to local retail, Wallace admitted he hadn’t “really thought about it that far yet.”
With opinions mixed, the one thing residents seemed to agree on is that no amount of holiday cheer could actually get them out of the house on a frigid winter afternoon.