BUTTE- The Butte Chamber of Commerce wants local people to shop local. Butte has a tourism season, but you can’t always count on tourism; they hope to count on local shoppers.
“With the increase in gas prices, we don’t know what’s going to happen this year. We don’t know if we’re going to see a huge decline in tourism, so we need to rely on our local economy to support our businesses,” Chamber of Commerce Director Stephanie Sorini.
WATCH: Butte Chamber launches shop local challenge
The chamber recently launched a Shop Local Challenge to encourage people to shop at one local business each day of the week.
“Whether it is going out the door in support of a small business, wearing an item from a small business,” Sorini said.
The owner of the Butte Copper Company on West Granite Street says there’s plenty of places to shop in the city.
“Down Montana Street, down Main Street, Park Street, and then, like, downtown, like, look what’s going on. How exciting is that?” Jailee Coyne said.
Many local shoppers stopped into the business that day.
“I love the Copper Company, I love to shop local and, yeah, put my money back into Butte,” Butte resident Jamie Knott said.
Despite concerns about higher gas prices, Coyne said she’s confident tourists will spend money in Butte this summer.
“They’re looking for unique, different, not your everyday Walmart, Target, T.J. Maxx; they want local, unique, handmade gifts,” Coyne said.
The chamber is also hosting a Shop Small Saturday event in Uptown Butte on May 9th.
