Woman: Shopping local preserves the special character of a city and instills pride in its residents. Just think of the places in our city where you take your out of town guests for dining and shopping. Maybe it's breakfast at Randy's, or going to the Sugar Bowl for ice cream, or finding delicious bread at my family's bakery, The Baker's Hat. These places give our town special identity. Buying local keeps our city from looking exactly like every other place dominated by chain restaurants and big box stores.

At our bakery, we make breads that you just won't find at the grocery chain stores. Also, small businesses are better at knowing their customers. You can go into the big grocery stores and never talk to a single person, especially if you go to the self-serve checkout. This would never happen in our bakery. After two or three visits, you'll be greeted by name. You become a part of the family.