Like most of us, you might be wondering just how it could be only a week before Thanksgiving.

But no matter how we got here, the holiday season — and, for that matter, the holiday shopping season — are upon us.

As you make your list and check it twice, we hope that everyone will make a point to shop at home in our community.

You might be surprised at what you can find in Atmore — and you won’t have to drive an hour or more to get it.

So what can you find at a local store that you can’t find anywhere else?

First of all, many of our local shops have unique gifts that you won’t find anywhere else — and often they are of higher quality than some of the bigger chain stores in other cities.

But perhaps more valuable is the personal customer service you will receive. Even on a night like Thursday, when the stores are crowded with shoppers, a friendly smile will greet you at the cash register.

But of most importance for all of us is the fact that local shopping benefits everyone through tax dollars. The more you buy locally, the more that money turns over — tax money goes to the city, county and schools; clerks are paid and in turn pay that money to other local stores; and stores are able to invest in their own businesses to make them even better. Everyone wins when we shop at home.

If you think you can’t find it in Atmore, you’re wrong.