Christmas shopping isn't what it used to be. From Black Fridays that begin on Thanksgiving night to Cyber Monday online deals, the siren song of big-box-store bargains and Internet orders sometimes seems poised to drown out the tradition of locally owned companies in Moorhead and Fargo.

But three leaders of Moorhead businesses – one a longtime landmark, another a newer venture and the third a hometown media advocate – agree the loyalty of local shoppers still enables them to thrive and flourish from their genuinely home-town roots.

“We look at our market as the entire metro and regional area,” notes Chuck Matthees of Rigel's Inc., the nearly 70-year-old appliance store on the 600 block of Main Avenue. “When I first got involved in the business in the 1970s, there were at least a dozen retailers of appliances in Fargo-Moorhead, including seven in Moorhead alone. Now there are two locally owned places, along with one regional group based in Sioux Falls” [including Homemaker's Villa in Moorhead and Karl's]. Every other source of refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and microwave ovens is a local outpost of a national discount chain.

Sara Watson, too, is an entrepreneur working hard to build her businesses among chain restaurants with high name recognition. She and chef husband Eric own and operate Moorhead's popular new Rustica bar and eatery on Main and Fourth Street, along with Mezzaluna in downtown Fargo and their original enterprise, Mosaic Catering.

“We do business with other local, home-owned firms in Moorhead – and Fargo – whenever we possibly can,” she says. “We want to support our neighbors, and we hope they in turn support us.”

Tammy Finney, who's managing editor ofThe Extra, agrees that principle makes sense. “You support the community that supports you,” she points out. “We do almost all our shopping in Moorhead.”

All three have deep roots in the area. Chuck, who grew up here, has lived in the same home in south Moorhead since 1980. His partners include his twin brother Bob and sister Marj; one of his two children, son Chris, represents the third generation in the family business.

Sara was raised near Sabin and graduated from Glyndon High School; she and Eric (a native of Rifle, Colorado) met and married during culinary school in Colorado. They moved home ten years ago to start their business and raise their family of four.

Tammy, who has worked withThe Extrafor ten years, is in the process of movinginto her new house on Village Green.Growing up near Georgetown,she hascalled Moorhead home her entire life.

“After all these years, Rigel's has a lot of loyal customers,” Chuck says. “Some people will tell us they've shopped everywhere else – and then come to Rigel's last because, they say, they know they'll buy here. Others purchase their appliances nowhere else. It always amazes me when someone calls and tells us to just ship out what they need without even asking the price. They count on us to treat 'em right.”

That includes not only stocking appliance lines to suit each customer's budget, from entry-level to luxury, but also everything that happens after the sale. “When we deliver, we don't just drop it off at the door,” Chuck explains. Rigel's experienced service department is there not only to set up the purchase, but to help if problems emerge someday. “When a customer who bought something here 15 or 20 years ago calls with a problem, chances are pretty good they can talk with whoever sold it to them in the first place.” The company's four key salespeople have a collective 100-plus years of experience. Four service technicians add up to more than 40 years of education and experience. Even the delivery staff signed on 30 years ago.

Rigel's trade area, he says, encompasses both sides of the river in rough proportion to the population. The company makes deliveries throughout the lakes area every Friday.

Of his own purchases, Chuck asserts, “It's important to support our local businesses whenever we can. If I have a choice of going to a 'big box' or an independent company like ours, I'll try to find what I need locally.” He adds, “You hear people use price as an excuse for patronizing the big discount stores, but a great deal of that is perception. It's not necessarily so.”

Like Chuck, Sara and her husband appreciate their fellow businesspeople and neighbors who choose their creative cuisine in both Moorhead and Fargo … especially given the explosion in food and beverage establishments during their years in restaurants and catering. “Our colleges, especially, are really good to us,” she says. “Both Minnesota State and Concordia have groups that have become regulars at Rustica. I think they like it that we're both small and local, as well as located downtown.

“We really are helping each other when they dine with us, or when we buy everything we need right here in town. We know the people we do business with, and they know us. We share a history together.” With four youngsters in Moorhead schools, she says that fellow parents define their activities and social circle. “We're always proud to work together around our kids' activities,” she adds, noting that she and Eric were among the parents who fed the 130 or so players, coaches and families before games during the Spuds' championship run.

Tammy says that shared history is part of the pleasure of doing business – in her case, selling advertising inThe Extra– in a community that feels like home, and where customers are genuine friends and neighbors. “I've gotten to follow young businesses as they've grown and blossomed,” she says. “When I stop in, it's not just to pick up an ad. We don't just touch base; it's time to catch up. That's my favorite part of this business.”

Sara and Tammy both believe that Moorhead is recovering some of the community spirit that may have dimmed a bit during past decades. “Moorhead is getting a lot younger, and that's making it livelier and attracting new opportunities,” Tammy theorizes. Like many, she credits the city council and Mayor Del Rae Williams for inspiring growing optimism.

Sara agrees – and predicts this is just the beginning. “I feel like we're going to see a lot more things blossom, even in the next five years. I just have the sense that people are talking now … that they're excited about how we're growing and the innovative things that are going on, large and small.” She mentions the sidewalk art project proudly … which will feature a winning entry by her youngest daughter.

Chuck suggests that, despite the changing, challenging shopping landscape, that home-town spirit is part of what has helped his family's business not just survive, but thrive.

“Sure, there's more competition now. But it's not the same,” he muses. “Do they deliver and set up what's purchased? Do they have the experts when you need service? Do you talk to the same familiar faces when you stop in, year after year?

“Local businesses like ours really appreciate our customers. We support the people who support us. That's a given.”