What does “support local” mean to you?

It’s a phrase we hear often, and one we often use ourselves, as well. “Support local”, “shop local”, and “shop small” as phrases and hashtags are found everywhere, designed to inspire customers to spend money, purchase and dine and drink with a locally-owned or operated business.

It makes sense. The backbone of a local economy is found in the network of small businesses that rise and fall by the tide of the community supporting it.

As the owners of a wine bar, Angela and I have seen lots of businesses come and go on the Westside, especially in Old Town Beaverton. It’s not like they didn’t try. Many held on to the very last minute before there was no choice but to close.

The pandemic did a number on every industry, not to mention consumer behavior. In the course of a few weeks, we saw a vibrant nightlife evaporate. Long evenings of hopping between establishments for a snack here, a meal there, a nightcap elsewhere — all of it, poof, gone. Folks simply no longer stayed out as late as they used to. When they would go out, it was earlier in the day.

Now in 2025, we’re finally seeing our community ask for things to do after 9pm. It sounds silly, when you consider some cities on this planet never shut down at all. But Beaverton isn’t just any city. It’s an incredibly diverse, beautiful, suburban community that doesn’t want to play by any other place’s rules.

I recall testimony at City Hall once, noting that about 80% of jobs in Beaverton aren’t held by its residents. That makes this a destination town of sorts, but what does that mean in terms of how this community does or does not support its small businesses?

What does “support local” mean to you? How often do you spend your dollars at a locally owned business? What kind of impact could we have if we collectively chose to do this? What if we all set up a budget that for every few dollars, we would spend 25% on a local business?

We, the Old Town Beaverton community, are here because of the support of those frequenting our district, and everyone voting their dollars on businesses here!

We appreciate you and your continued support. It literally means everything to us all.

– David Anderson