The Shelby Area Chamber of Commerce has created its own local currency to encourage residents to shop at hometown businesses and keep money circulating within the community.
"These chamber bucks are our own currency. We print them up just like monopoly money," said Shane Adams, executive director of the Shelby Area Chamber of Commerce. "People come and buy them from me, and then they'll either give them as gifts, as a bonus or whatever. To whoever, and then they'll spend it locally within our community."
"These businesses are the ones that support our community, like the youth sports programs," Adams said. "These businesses will sponsor their teams to help them have these activities for our community. These bigger businesses that are like online and such, they won't do that. Our local will support our local people."
Timothy Moylan, owner of Ace Hardware Shelby Paint and Hardware, said the chamber bucks helps small businesses compete with online retailers.
"A lot of these small businesses are struggling these days, you know, with the Amazon online and all that," Moylan said. "And we want to keep them going. It helps the communities stay alive, keeps the Main Street businesses alive."
"It's really brought a lot more business to our stores," Moylan said. "And I'm sure other businesses can say the same about people keeping it local and strong. You know, keep these smaller communities alive and with the businesses that you're here in town, it just it supports them really well."
"It brings the community together and make sure that they keep the money here in town for the smaller businesses," Moylan said. "And I think it adds to the businesses it keeps in communication with each other."
