A year ago, my middle kid Lucy (14) was campaigning hard for an after-dinner ice cream at The Charmery in Hampden.  Like any responsible family, we are always trying to monitor our dessert intake with little success.  When she noticed me wavering, she grabbed the dagger and went for the jugular.  “Come on dad, it’s local!”

While this is a poor example of the importance of shopping local, it does reflect on the “local” zealots the Levinsons are.  Why?  Certainly, shopping local is not always easy or convenient.