Shop Alabama kicks off in Dothan

The biggest shopping week of the year is finally here. And so it seems it fitting that The Alabama Retail Association paid a visit to Dothan today to kick off their “Shop Alabama for the Holidays” campaign. It encourages shoppers to buy local this holiday season.

“We’re hoping to encourage people to support those retailers that support their community with this event today,” said Melissa Warnke, Communications Manager at the Alabama Retail Association.

Shopping locally-owned stores, experts say, helps fuel the local economy, job creation, community activities, non-profits and much more.

"In Dothan – Houston County area just alone we have over 1,200 retailers and they contribute close to about $2.5 billion to the local economy, so that’s a pretty big impact in our market," said

Matt Parker, President of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce. "So you have a lot of options and a lot of choices.”

The Alabama Retail Association encourages shoppers this week to use the hashtags #SHOPALABAMA and #SHOPDOTHAN when posting photos of shopping excursions to social media this week. They say it’s a great way to show you're pride in supporting local retailers.