Locals support small businesses.

• Position: Consumerism - Brief article

There is good news for small business owners: the number of consumers willing to go out of their way to shop at small businesses, even if it costs more, has increased in the last year, according to survey results released by The UPS Store. Small businesses not only are viewed as important and valued by their owners, but increasingly are valued by their communities for their impact on the economy.

The survey indicates that 89% of consumers say doing business with small firms in their communities is important and 90% of all respondents agree that small businesses are important to the U.S. economy. Small businesses create two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year, and are responsible for more than 55% of all jobs.

A noteworthy survey finding was that consumers increasingly are willing to spend more and go out of their way to shop at or use the services of a small business. Specifically:

* The number of people who paid more for a product or service in...