I feel very strongly that it is important to support our local businesses. I go out of my way to do this because without them we would be forced to shop at larger, less personable chains where our local dollars are shipped out to their corporate headquarters. Once there the money would be spent on national advertising as well as the development of other big-box stores with their sprawling parking lots and filled with the same, foreign made crap that I could buy in their other stores across the country.

By spending my money in my home town I have learned that the local businesses have a different variety of products, and that the owners are competing for my business. So they are happy to make minor accommodations to keep me as a customer. Furthermore, if I want to know where something came from all I have to do is ask the clerk or owner of the business.

The N&O is reporting that Liz Parham is resigning as executive director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Parntership and taking a job as director of the Office of Urban Development for the Division of Community Assistance at the state Department of Commerce .

The resignation is effective July 18.