To the editor:

I would like to take this time to remind everyone how important our local businesses are to us. Before searching for your needed items on Amazon or other online resources, take the time to see if our local businesses can provide those items to you. It is a rewarding shopping experience to get the personal touch you will get from our local business owners, and they make it clear that they appreciate our support of them. It is also a great way to build relationships with our local business owners.

During this time of quarantine, our family has been trying to rotate our eating-out purchases from all of the available restaurants in town, and we encourage you to do the same if you are able. The business owners truly appreciate every purchase made to support them.

This week we were wanting to purchase a nice jewelry item for our daughter who is achieving her masters degree, and Patterson’s were so patient and invested the time to correspond with us via email. We received the perfect purchase, and all we had to do is enter their doorway to pay and pick up our gift, and it was all done in a safe manner.

The last two Christmas seasons we made a family vow to attempt to do all of our shopping locally. There were a couple of gifts we couldn’t find in New Ulm, but the majority of our shopping was done in town. It is an investment to shop locally! You will get to know the business owners, and it is a great time visiting with community members that you meet in the stores. It is that old fashioned Christmas shopping experience! So let’s all do what we can to keep our businesses going through these uncertain times. If you can’t support them financially, take the time to send them notes of encouragement. They deserve all of our support, and we thank them for being an important part of the New Ulm community!

Peggy Schlumpberger

New Ulm