Featured Product - Speach's I'll Be Dipped chocolate covered potato chips

A few months ago we decided to increase our selection of locally made products. We've always done really well with Syracuse and CNY themed gifts and decided to see what else might be out there that we could use in our baskets. We'll be featuring some of our new favorites in upcoming blog posts.

One of the goodies we picked up is Speach's chocolate covered potato chips. I have to admit, these didn't even sound good to me at first, but one of my friends insisted that they were absolutely yummy and addicting - and was she ever right! Something about the salty-sweet combination....once you start eating them you can't stop.

We carry the 1/2 lb tub of milk chocolate covered chips (which we feature in some of our standard gifts), but you can also visit their store on Syracuse's north side to check out other varieties and sizes.

Don't be one of the sheeple

At SGB we always comment on how different our busy holiday season is from year to year. Some years everyone orders early, some years we're hit with an avalanche of orders at the last minute. Sometimes we sell tons of gift baskets with a local theme, and others hardly at all. I was really encouraged that this holiday season Central New York products were far and away what we sold the most of. It seemed like everyone was acutely aware of the difficult economic situation and decided to circle the wagons and support local businesses. It IS important, and as a small business owner nobody understands this better than me.

I am always baffled (and I've posted on this topic before) that with all the outstanding local businesses we have in this area that people are still lined up like sheep at national chain restaurants and stores to spend their hard earned money on a mediocre product and ambivalant service. Stella's vs. Denny's, Boom Babies vs. H & M, Joey's vs. Olive Garden, Sweet on Chocolate vs. Fanny Farmer, Sound Garden vs. Best Buy.....the list goes on. I guess it's because you really have to think about what you're doing if you want to break those habits. The mall, the chain restaurants - they are the easy, default answer. You don't have to think too hard. And I admit, sometimes I really don't want to think too hard.

Since becoming a small business owner myself, I have made a real effort to think about my choices and the impact they make. Recently I took it one step further - I switched from my big, impersonal regional bank (to whom I was paying a fortune in bank fees, BTW) to a very small, grassroots, Syracuse based (okay, Syracuse ONLY) credit union - Cooperative Federal. Now, it doesn't look look like any bank you've ever seen before. It's teeny-tiny. It has no drive through and no parking. But - they are super friendly, very accomodating and guess what? All the money really stays in Syracuse. They help people buy their first houses and local businesses get off the ground. With my old bank, I felt like whenever I asked something of them the answer was "no" or "it's going to cost you $30". At the credit union, the attitude is, "What can we do to help you?" Refreshing.

Support your local economy

Durstons, a local landmark on West Genesee Street, closed for business a few weeks ago after 50 years of operation. 50 years! It's always sad when a locally owned company is forced to close it's doors, but even more so when the business has been around that long.

As a small business owner, I can sympathize with how hard the decision must have been. Entrepreneurs pour their whole lives into their businesses; we spend a lot of time wondering if the "success" we crave is just around the corner...... or if it's time to call it a day. Success requires tenacity, but at what point do you declare defeat?

I always find it interesting when a business like Durston's closes and people say, "I LOVED that place! But I haven't been there in years". Well......maybe that's the problem. People take for granted that a business will always be there, but if the community doesn't support it you can't blame the owners for giving up.

For example - we have some top-notch locally owned restaurants in Syracuse, and yet the chain restaurants are the ones who seem to be busy every night. Why go to The Olive Garden when you can go to Aunt Josie's, or Joey's or Gentile's? Why eat at Denny's when we have Stella's Diner? Alto Cinco, BC, Dante, Arad Evans, Twin Trees and Peppino's all have amazing food from pizza to fine dining and they're locally owned. You will be hard pressed to find pre-made, heat-and- serve menu items in any of them, but in the chain restaurants this is the norm. So why is The Olive Garden packed every night?

I was having a conversation with a friend (also an entrepreneur) recently, and we were trying to decide where to go to dinner. She suggested a few places, one of which was a national chain. I told her that I never go to chain restaurants, just on principle. I believe that every time you make a purchase or go out to dinner, you have a choice - you can support another local business, or you can support a big national conglomerate. It does make a difference. She had never thought it of that way.

I'm certainly not advocating patronizing a business with substandard service or products just because it's locally owned, but chances are good that in the family owned business you'll find better service (and much better food) than the homogenized experience you'll have at the national chain. Which would you choose?