Merry Merchants say 'shop local'

Alyson Sneddon coined the phrase “Merry Merchant Day Encampment/Riverside,” when discussing this upcoming Saturday when local businesses will join together to promote shopping locally this holiday season.

Christy Smith, director of the Grand Encampment Museum (GEM) came up with the idea to band local merchants in the Upper Platte Valley together for their own version of the national Shop Small Saturday. “I was out of town for the national shop small day, so I thought ‘Let’s do our own,’ it would be a cool community effort,” Smith said, adding, “I guess its kind of my way to get to know these m...