Be A Culpeper Local

Culpeper Chamber of Commerce

Culpeper Star Exponent

February 16, 2015

Debbie Stohlman, President/CEO

debbies@culpeperchamber.com

Occasionally I find myself in need of retail therapy.  I find it to be a very effective self-prescribed treatment for many ills.  Last weekend, my husband was hanging out with his amateur radio buddies doing whatever it is that “hams” do with all that electronic stuff, so I seized the opportunity to indulge myself - free of retail guilt!  Also, since the shopping weekend was proximate to Valentine’s Day, I knew I had a clear pass to avail myself of as much “retail therapy” as may be needed to cheer-up the late winter blahs!

While a quick “Google” search of Valentine’s Day will provide great detail with regard to how the holiday came to be, it is generally accepted today as a day  ‘associated with romantic love’.   Yet “love” is defined by Wikipedia as a ‘variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, etc.’  So, I am going to make the connection and report that the receipts collected during my retail therapy sessions could be justified as Valentine’s Day cards to myself!  Yes, I am a lover of shopping; Culpeper, Virginia shopping to be more specific!

If you want (or need) to buy “it”, there is a very good chance you can find “it” right here in Culpeper.  Since this was a “retail therapy” session, the therapeutic value was immediate as I could browse, hold, select, purchase, and then take home.  I found many things I wanted and a few that I didn’t know I “needed” until I saw them!  It really is amazing the diversity of shopping and dining available to us in our community.  

As they say on TV, ‘But wait, there’s more’!  My stack of receipts yielded a bonus round of good vibes.  With each and every dollar I paid in sales tax, 2% will come back to Culpeper - 1% for town and county general funds and the other 1% for our schools. And the bonus round gets even better -   “Studies have shown that for every $100 spent in a locally owned business, $45 stays and circulates in the community”, according to the Culpeper Department of Economic Development’s program, Be a Culpeper Local.  (www.beaculpeperlocal.com)

My day of retail therapy did the trick - the winter blahs are gone and my pride in the community where I choose to live, work, and shop positively reinforced.  There is plenty to love about Culpeper - and love her, I do.  I am proud to call Culpeper home and I enjoy knowing that my ‘therapy of choice’ helps to support our rich and diverse economy.    

As you make decisions on where to spend your hard earned dollars, consider keeping them in Culpeper - it will help create a stronger community for all of us.  In the coming weeks watch for more information on the program “Be A Culpeper Local” as Culpeper’s Department of Economic Development works to create awareness of the impact of keeping your dollars circulating in the local economy.     

As always, if you have any questions about what your Chamber of Commerce can do for you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.