While many people aren't thinking about holiday shopping yet, business leaders are - and they want you to think local this year.
Les O'Dell is Executive Director of the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce. He says chambers from all over southern Illinois are joining together to encourage people to stay close to home:
"If they're not going to shop in Carbondale, or at a mom-and-pop, shop somewhere in our region. Keep those sales tax dollars here. Keep that economy going."
And it doesn't stop with gifts - Kathleen Logan Smith with FoodWorks says eating local is also a big part of boosting business:
"Food businesses are some of the most challenging to keep going, but also some of the easiest businesses to start up. You don't have to have a Ph.D. to do food, you don't necessarily have to have perfect credit to do food, you don't have to have a perfect record to do food in some capacity."
The Shop Southern Illinois campaign runs through the holiday season.
Business Leaders Encourage "Shop Local" Campaign
