BE SELFISH. Support a small business. We are running a series of ads in the Topanga Messenger because we selfishly want to the see the local newspaper stay afloat. There are very few independent media voices any longer. Most newspapers and media is owned by big money now. Operating @topangacreek and @rouguejourneymen in a community with a very small local paper that also keeps Topanga events updated and has a clear independent voice is better for us. It is better because large corporations don’t want small businesses to survive, government isn’t always fair and we don’t always matter. We matter to the Messenger and appreciate the paper reporters are fair local voices in our community reporting on what is important to small business among other things. Having a local paper keeps people informed and our community more vibrant. Property values are higher and people living here want to stay in communities likes this. The end result is we sell more at Topanga Creek Outpost and stay in business ourselves. We don’t expect it to happen from the actual ad and are not looking for immediate results. We also realize the amazing people at the Messenger could probably do other things with their lives and be better off. We appreciate and want the paper to stay around. The alternative is awful.

Most small businesses operate similarly to the Topanga Messenger. Margins are tiny, if they exist at all, the work is longer hours and more exhausting than anyone could possibly imagine. In our case the constant accusations that we are running a bike shop for the money is both laughable and insulting. We aren’t. We barely and only want to make a living. The opposite it true. We are running the bike shop for many reasons different from profit. Many. We sponsor bike rides and camping trips to enjoy them ourselves, encourage people to ride bikes and ultimately sell some. We sponsor riders in races and events because we want to enjoy a part of their participation and watch them grow as people first, we want to be a part of the larger community of like minded people, we value the opportunity for the people who we consider our friends to do what we enjoy and perhaps that gets our shop name out there and sell a few more widgets to stay afloat. But, selling the stuff isn’t why we do most of this. We care. Selling stuff keeps us in business. Small business owners are much more human than they are business people, bosses or focused on profit. Most small business owners care about people and making their communities better than anything else.

Be selfish if you want these people around in your community. Appreciate them. Go into a local diner and eat, you want small restaurants to exist forever and not be taken over by corporate food companies. Stop in a local coffee house, book store or hardware store and buy stuff. Do it for yourself. The owners of these places are certainly offsetting the actual cost with their own sweat and tears, so don’t be stingy looking for deals. That is the farthest thing from the point. Be selfish. Spend lots of money on your favorite local business. It is more for you than anyone.