Opinion: Calgary, you have a small business. Use it or lose it.

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I found myself watching a true romantic comedy classic on the weekend. You’ve got mailSet in New York City, the plot dates back to the early It was the age of the Internet when dial-up still existed, and the classic “you’ve got mail” ping greeted people when they signed up online. Skillfully played by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, the two main characters Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox first develop a bitter business rivalry, then an unlikely friendship and romantic relationship. increase.

As great and adorable as their romance is, what really caught my attention was the story underneath. And the story of struggling to keep that door open. A true David vs Goliath story.

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Unfortunately, the idea of ​​a second-generation small business having to close after 42 years is much more real than a movie romance.

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When it became clear that Shop Around the Corner bookstore was rapidly losing customers and lacking revenue to keep going, it was great to see the community reaching out to help. I couldn’t help but think of the many small businesses I’ve worked with over the years.

What struck a chord was the part of the film where Joe Fox clichés, “It wasn’t personal,” in defense of putting the bookstore out of business. Kathleen Kelly makes a moving rebuttal. But it was personal to me. It’s personal to many. ”

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Our small business owners care deeply about their businesses and communities. For them, business is very personal and often becomes part of the family. So many of them spend their time giving back. In a recent survey, 87% of Alberta’s small businesses said they employ members of their community. He further reports that 72% donate either their time, products or cash donations to local community groups or charities. They also support other entrepreneurs, with 78% saying they buy products from other local businesses.

Needs a little more community spirit as seen in You’ve got mail Alberta this holiday season. Our very own Kathleen Kelly has been struggling very hard to recover and is facing new challenges from rising inflation and interest rates.

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The retail industry in particular faces a tough holiday season. Economic forecasts and market research suggest this winter could be a tough winter for small retailers. According to Angus Reed’s October Consumer Economic Pulse, half of Canadians (48%) say they will spend less this holiday season than they did last year. CFIB proprietary Business Barometer for NovemberTracking small business confidence in the economy has reached its lowest non-pandemic level. This is a metric not seen since the 2008 financial crisis. As we head into the most important season of the year, retail isn’t the second most optimistic sector in the country about the future of the economy.

There are many reasons why Albertans enjoy shopping locally, not just this holiday season, but any time of the year. In doing so, we keep our communities vibrant, support local jobs, support local causes, and keep local money.

It also helps support Kathleen Kelly and her husband, who continue their family business and work hard to stay connected to the community. We are in danger that our own local businesses will have to put up signs like Kathleen Kelly had to do. You’ve got mail “After 42 years we are closing. We love being a part of your life.”

Flip the script this holiday season and save the little shop around the corner.

Annie Domuth is the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s Provincial Affairs Director for British Columbia and Alberta.