04/21/2026
Owning a small business in a small town has really opened my eyes.
Almost every day, I learn something new from people in our county and the surrounding areas. I’ve had customers come from Hart, Breckinridge, Hardin, Meade, Barren, and Edmonson Counties to rent tuxedos for weddings and proms. Naturally, I ask them how they found me all the way here in Leitchfield… and the answer is almost always the same: Google.
I’ve spent time trying to stay active on Facebook, failed miserably on Instagram, but the truth is, people are searching online when they need something—and that’s how they’re finding local businesses like mine.
It made me realize something: so many of us (myself included) assume we already know everything our town has to offer. And if we think for even a second that something isn’t available locally, we head to Elizabethtown, Bowling Green, Owensboro, or somewhere else.
I’ve learned my lesson.
From now on, I’m starting local. I’ll be on my couch, searching “near me” before I ever leave town—whether it’s printing services, pedicures, Easter dresses, children’s clothing, florists, or coffee shops. You get the idea.
I completely understand having favorite places outside of town—if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. But I encourage everyone to at least give your local small businesses a chance.
Many of us are pouring our time, energy, and resources back into this community. We support local teams, donate to local causes, and get asked daily to sponsor events. It can be disheartening to see people go elsewhere—especially when they didn’t even check to see what’s available right here at home.
That said, I am incredibly grateful for those who have trusted me to be part of some of the most special moments in their lives. That support means everything.
So here’s my challenge: before you go out of town, take a few minutes to see what’s available locally. Support your friends, your neighbors, your community. And if it doesn’t work out, at least you gave it a try and maybe you could reach out to the business and KINDLY let them know why you weren’t satisfied. Don’t blast them on Facebook. That reflects more on us as people than it reflects poorly on the business.
Let’s lift each other up.
