SHOP LOCAL: Warrensburg Main Street stresses importance of shopping local

Published 9:11 pm Thursday, November 5, 2026

By Joe Andrews

Take a stroll down Holden Street in downtown Warrensburg, and it’s easy to point out the local businesses that make up the identity of the historic district.

From the northern border at Gay Street to the south end at Pine Street, there’s an option for almost anything from food and beverages to clothing, flowers and a hobbyist flair.

Along the sidewalks and in the windows, there’s a seasonal taste – whether it be giving a nod to the University of Central Missouri or matching whichever holiday is trending at the time.

Behind most are local faces – several of which work together or operate with the same goals.

Making the downtown community a welcoming place for local consumers is also a part of the mission of Warrensburg Main Street.

“From the point of view of being a director of our downtown, we’re always trying to advocate having local events, shopping and getting people down here to realize what’s happening,” Warrensburg Main Street Executive Director Jamie DeBacker said. “What’s happening, you know, is these people are making sacrifices to open small businesses because it is a passion for them. They are also trying to create an atmosphere for the community – maybe filling a need.”

That year-round need is a two-way street – whether it be during the holiday season, the frigid cold of January, or the sharp heat of July.

According to Capital One Shopping, 80% of people shop locally to support their community.

Just under 10% of retailers in Missouri are considered to be small businesses, with over 11,500 in the state.

The daughter of a local business owner, DeBacker knows first-hand what the impact of shopping small – and local rather than going to Amazon or the Kansas City area – brings.

“From the point of view of somebody who’s lived, been born and raised in Warrensburg, I have roots with my mom owning Awesome Blossoms and I have friends and family who live and work in downtown and in Warrensburg in general – I think we have to think of it as a broader sense of supporting local than just during the holiday season,” DeBacker said. “I know our businesses count on it, like your big box businesses at this time of the year are not going to remember the faces who are coming in excited to order a new teapot or get a great gift card, or a deal on something. Your local business owners are going to remember the faces that come in there, spend and they have a connection with you. It means something to them.”

Capital One indicates that the United States saw a 4.08% increase in revenue by small and independent retailers, totaling an estimated $3.85 million. In Missouri, there was a 2.04% increase in 2024, generating $57.5 billion in sales.

“After COVID, people really got easy on that convenience of online,” DeBacker said. “I think convenience is the biggest killer of small businesses because, obviously, you can click and it is right at your door. I do think this new wave of life is coming back where people are realizing the importance of in-person shopping, in-person conversation and relationship building with small business owners. I think we are on the up-and-up trend of getting people back in the storefronts and realizing that we have hobbyists and people wanting third spaces and wanting to connect.”

DeBacker said shopping or eating locally through the 2026 holiday season is something that will mean more to many businesses in 2026.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index indicates the cost of all items related to the cost of living increased by 3.7% between Sept. 2025 and Sept. 2026.

The rate includes a 20.4% increase in energy services.

“It’s been a hard year,” DeBacker said. “It’s been a weird year for a lot of small businesses, no matter what the industry is. Typically services are doing pretty much better than retail, but I think right now we’re all in kind of a pivotal area of knowing people are keeping a little together of a hold on their wallets.”

Through the trends, businesses are also adapting to consumer wants or needs.

“I think a lot of them are concerned with what the future holds,” DeBacker said. “People are taking a more conscious look at what their finances are. I think they’re all moving in a pace of caution, but they’re also trying to stay relevant. Unfortunately, with technology, I think it brings trends and things that people are excited about. Right now, everyone’s obsessed with dumplings and squishies and things like that. They’re trying to meet the consumer’s needs, but they’re also trying not to steer away from their goals and what their business is currently doing.”

Throughout the year, Main Street works with the City of Warrensburg, Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce and Visit Warrensburg to form Love Local Warrensburg, operating with the motto of Think Local First.

Around Johnson County, local businesses are also supported through initiatives from the Knob Noster Chamber of Commerce, Holden Chamber of Commerce and Johnson County Economic Development Corporation.

“[Business owners] are putting their blood, sweat and tears into every day for them – not just during the holiday season, not just in the time when shopping should pick up,” DeBacker said. “They’re looking for that support year-round.”

Love Local Warrensburg will kick off the holiday season with Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28.

Love What’s Local will distribute 100 reusable Shop Small bags from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Warrensburg Visitor Center, 205 N. Holden Street. Bags will be available while supplies last and will include coupons and special offers from participating local businesses.

Eight random bags will contain a cash prize – one will have a $100 bill, two will have $50 bill and five will have $2 bill.

“Every free bag will have $10 of free dollars to use in any downtown business they’re choosing on Shop Small Saturday,” DeBacker said. “Obviously, it puts cash right in the hands of our business owners and in the consumer’s hands – whether they spend $5 on a coffee, a new sweater, or maybe Pokémon. We can see where the trends people are spending are internally in our office. It gives us numbers to know what people are looking for and kind of spending their time investing their local money into.”

Joe Andrews can be reached at 660-747-8123.