By Jessica Wilt
The Journal
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Whether it be Jefferson County’s “Love our towns. Support our neighbors. Shop local” or Berkeley County’s “Shop Small Berkeley” campaign, the sentiment across the area is clear — encouragement to shop small this holiday season.
Both areas have seen the local businesses do everything they can to survive during the unprecedented times of COVID-19, leaving area leaders proud of the efforts and strategies they’ve made. Now, though, those same leaders are calling upon locals to step up and support those businesses that have been staples in the community for so long.
The Jefferson County campaign is focused on reminding locals that small business owners are one of them, residents knowing many of the owners on a personal level outside of shopping experiences.
“Just ask Annette; if she isn’t related to them, she went to school with them,” Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Annette Gavin-Bates laughed, recalling a joke among friends.
Noting how true the sentiment was though, Gavin-Bates stressed how vital small businesses are to a community, the ones who typically sponsor sports teams, help out local organizations and serve the community in so many ways…