Local residents are invited to downtown Silver City on Saturday, April 14, 2018, to enjoy a downtown promotion called Love Local. Downtown merchants are offering great deals, drawings, and discounts because they love our local community. The promotion is sponsored by Silver City MainStreet to encourage more local shopping.

Patrick Hoskins, MainStreet board president states, "We have 145 independently owned businesses in downtown including retail, coffee shops, restaurants, lodging and services. That is a big tax base that helps all of Silver City and Grant county. The businesses are owned by people who live in our community and are invested in our community's future.

The purpose of the Love Local promotion is to encourage local residents to come downtown, discover businesses they may not be aware of and shop downtown. We have really fun experiences downtown too. You can take a tour of Syzygy Tile and see tiles being made, stop by The Glasserie and see hand blown glass being made, go by Lloyd Studios and watch antlers being carved into beautiful items, and watch a hand letterpress in production at Power and Light Press too. There are other businesses that let you walk in, and for a small fee, you can make art on the spot.

Overall, buying local is a chance to support the growing Maker Movement, meet talented artisans and small business owners who take great pride in their work, experience handmade, one-of-a-kind and meaningful gifts, and support our community.

If you spend $100 at a local business, roughly $68 stays in our local economy. If you spend the same at a large business, only $43 stays in our local economy.

If you have not been downtown recently, this is a great day to shop local. Look for the Love Local posters in the windows of participating merchants.

The mission of Silver City MainStreet is "To encourage a vibrant, historic downtown Silver City which is recognized as the heart of our diverse community." Please visit our website, www.silvercitymainstreet.com to learn more.