Running a business in a community vs being a community assest

[BreezyPeachGoose]

I see many businesses marketing themselves as being "the fabric of the community" as a reason for people to spend their money with them, but I often wonder how that translates into the "community" as in what does the business give back.

Eg: It's fine having a coffee shop in a community in which local people meet, but surely that's a business model unless your offering something back, no?

I'd be interested in others opinions.

The corner shop near me is part of our community, but also a profit making venture for the family that own it. See also our nearest pub. You can be part of the community without having to be altruistic.

Petrol station is also useful, and we would miss it, but I don't feel the same about it..

I have slightly raised my eyebrows when I have seen local profit-making enterprises (often of the arty kind) start crowdfunding on the basis of what they add to the community.
But it’s also a case of choice: if you are a local person and would miss it not being there, then you are free to donate…

But remember that governments have, for decades now, actively encouraged the involvement of the state, private and third sectors to provide services in the community. Adult social care, children’s homes, nurseries, care for older people, it can all be provided by private companies.

I think it's important not to try to fool the public. I'm sitting in my art gallery as I write with heating on and door closed We work with 50 local artists, but if asked I would always say that we sell work on commission. We sponsor a local schools art competition as well.

Never looked at crowd funding. Could be scope for pulling wool over people's eyes there.

It was either crowdfunding or directly asking for donations. Something along the lines of ‘Artsydramaspace has been suffering in the present climate and needs your help to carry on providing brilliant experiences for local people.’ Which is a bit of a reach for a private company. After all, if they were making amazing profits would they be distributing them to local people?

But perhaps it’s a case of ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get’?

I live in a village. There is a small grocery shop/corner shop here that I think is really important to the community, (but it is of course also a way for the owner to earn a profit, like a previous poster mentioned).

The grocery shop is important to the community because it makes it possible for us living here to buy food etc. without leaving the village. That's extra important for people who do not drive.
The shop is a meeting place in the village.
The village bulletin board is next to the shop entrance.
The shop gives back to the community by letting clubs and other village organizations arrange things outside of it, like raffles, or selling coffee and cake.
I like spending my money in my village, instead of in the city.

Lovely, just how it should be!

I think it’s more the case that if it’s a local business, owned by local people, they will then employ local people and also spend their profits in the local community - unlike the money you spend on Amazon or in Starbucks which disappears out of the community.