You’ve probably heard the saying “small businesses are the backbone of the economy.” 

It’s true, and they’re also so much more, including places to connect with the community.

Locally-owned businesses can only succeed if people shop local. Nowadays, that often means choosing not to shop for convenience or bottom dollar bargains from mega-stores and companies like Amazon, Walmart or Target.

With all this in mind, some people are using their wallets to show where they stand. The grassroots group The People’s Union USA urged people to participate in an “economic blackout” last week, with the goal of uniting Americans to ​​regain control of the economy, the government and the country's future, according to its website.

Today on The Metro, we’re talking to local small business owners about the importance of supporting local economies and independently owned stores. 

Guests: 

• Catharine Batsios: Member-owner/community programmer at Book Suey Bookshop Co-op in Hamtramck.
• Rachel Lutz: Founder/owner of The Peacock Room, a place where you’ll find dresses, accessories, jewelry and so much more in inclusive sizes.
• Dan Radomski: He leads Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University. The program supports small to mid-sized manufacturers and people creating hardtech – products that combine hardware and software to solve a problem.

We also asked listeners: "How often do you shop at locally-owned businesses? Is it a question of cost, convenience, or something else?"

Alberta in Detroit said: “My first priority is to shop Detroit and to shop Black Detroit. Anything else is akin to cutting my nose to spite my face. We must support where we live.”

Also on The Metro, we revisited conversations with local businesses in Detroit: 

• Source Booksellers owners Janet Webster and Alyson Jones Turner joined the show in January to talk about the bookstore’s programming, author discussions and other events where avid readers and new readers can connect. 
• Temple Bar owner George Boukas joined The Metro to discuss the restoration process after the popular community spot partially collapsed in May. Temple bar reopened in December.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.