Richard and Simara Gonzales (top) shop for food locally at Zacatecas Market and other grocery stores in Tooele. Cory Thompson and his son Samuel Thompson (bottom left) talk about the lack of office supply stores in Tooele while walking to their car in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Janette Martinez, Jesley Martinez and Ronda Carrick (bottom middle, l-r) talk about having to go to Salt Lake to buy clothes in the Wal-Mart parking lot Wednesday. Kristi Jones (bottom right) likes to buy books at the Purple Cow in Tooele, but shops in Salt Lake for clothes.
- photography / Maegan Burr
- photography / Maegan Burr
In May, the Tooele County Chamber of Commerce launched a “Come Together” campaign aimed at encouraging people to buy local. The campaign’s aims were to strengthen local businesses and keep tax dollars in the community.
But how important is shopping locally to ordinary county residents? How many seek out local vendors for something they could buy elsewhere? What do they feel they have to drive into Salt Lake City for? And is the new campaign changing perceptions on the importance of shopping locally?
To answer these questions, the Transcript-Bulletin spoke with several shoppers in Tooele. Though their responses were far from uniform, patterns emerged. Most people were unaware of the “Come Together” campaign but felt shopping locally was important nonetheless. Yet almost all said they were forced to go into Salt Lake City for certain items and services that were lacking in the Tooele Valley.
Richard and Simara Gonzales, for example, have lived in Tooele for 10 years. The couple said they enjoy eating out locally at Applebee’s and the Thai House.
“We have not heard about the chamber’s campaign but we try to spend our money in Tooele,” said Richard, who works in Salt Lake City. “We buy 100 percent of our food in Tooele and take our family to Deseret Peak, especially to swim.”
But, said Simara, for clothing she has to shop in Salt Lake City.
“I do go into Salt Lake to shop for clothing, usually at Kohl’s,” she said.
Clothing was the most commonly cited item that drove local shoppers out of the valley.
“I buy all my gas and groceries here in Tooele,” said Colleen Nielson, who has lived in Tooele for a year. “But I go into Salt Lake for clothes where I feel I can find better quality and variety.”
Nielson also said she likes to go to Salt Lake to see a movie and have dinner at Chuck-A-Rama.
Donna Ross, of Grantsville also has not heard of the chamber’s campaign. Although she firmly believes in buying local, when it comes to clothing she heads to Salt Lake for Kohl’s or JCPenney. Her favorite restaurants are also in Salt Lake — Olive Garden, Su Casa, and Hires. She often stops to eat at these places when she is in Salt Lake shopping for clothes.
Cory and Julie Thompson moved to Tooele a year ago and said they do a lot of shopping in Tooele. Their most frequented store is Wal-Mart, which is also one of the businesses the chamber campaign hopes to drive more local shoppers to. They feel they get a good value at Wal-Mart, but they also shop at the Dollar Store, Deseret Industries, and Macey’s Food & Drug.
Cory is opening his own business repairing office machines. He would like an office supply store in Tooele, and Julie confesses to shopping in Salt Lake for sewing material and supplies.
Susan and Bryon Johnson live in Stansbury Park and neither were aware of the buy local campaign but figure they already spend as much money in Tooele as possible. They estimate they spend about 95 percent of their money in Tooele County.
“We look around and try to find what we need in Tooele,” Bryon said.
But Susan still shops in Salt Lake for hobby and crafts materials, like sewing supplies at Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts.
Jannette Martinez buys her food in Tooele but her clothes in Salt Lake. She bought her last car at Quality Dodge in Tooele but furnished her house with purchases from RC Willey in Salt Lake..
“Yes, I’ve heard of the ‘Come Together’ and buy local campaign,” Martinez said. “I read about it in my water bill from the city.”
Kristi Jones has lived in Tooele for 30 years.
“If I can, I buy locally,” Jones said. “I understand the concept of supporting our local businesses. I buy at local stores like Wal-Mart, Steadman’s and the Purple Cow.”
However, when it comes to vehicles, Jones prefers Hondas and Toyotas, so she ends up in Salt Lake when she is looking for a new car. Clothing also draws her into the big city.
“I go to Salt Lake for variety,” she said. “I know there are some shops in Tooele, but some are priced pretty high and you find a better selection in Salt Lake.”
Tim Gillie: tgillie@tooeletranscript.com
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