Since being elected as one of your town commissioners, I have received many suggestions from Wendell citizens about what the town board, town employees and town businesses should do to make our town more prosperous. I appreciate those suggestions, because it shows me just how much people care about the future of our town. I hope the suggestions keep coming. I’d like to take this opportunity to make one suggestion to our 6,000 or so residents. I’m sure you’ve all heard the catch phrase “Buy American.” As difficult as that is becoming these days, I hope we all try to do just that. My suggestion to all Wendell residents is “Buy it in Wendell.”

We don’t need to drive to Knightdale or Raleigh when purchasing most goods and services. We have approximately 135 businesses within our town limits and many others around the perimeter. We have everything from accountants and attorneys to the Zepp’s Music – A to Z.

We have automobile parts stores, a lumber and hardware store, lawyers, doctors, dentists, eye doctors, a fitness center, a personal trainer, funeral home, barber shops, manicurists, real estate agents, banks, beauty shops, clothing stores, food stores and mini marts, gas stations, tire stores, a detailing shop, dog grooming, printing/mailing services, a tailor shop, a top notch public golf course, flower shops, auto repair shops, a drug store, a framing shop, numerous churches, insurance agencies, new and used car dealerships, a tractor dealership, daycare, a Lions club, Rotary club, American Legion, a candy store, Women’s club, and the list goes on.

I’m sure I’ve left out some categories, but you get the picture. If you don’t know where some of these or other services are located call the chamber and they will be glad to help you out. (365-6318)

The number one issue raised by our residents is the lack of restaurants. We actually have a number of places where you can eat in or get carry out.

Hopefully I don’t leave any out. There is Aubrey and Peedie’s for breakfast and lunch, the new Boulevard Pizza (and Italian restaurant) for lunch and dinner, the Subway in the Food Lion center, McDonald’s, the Great WOK, Domino’s Pizza, Teddy’s Pizza (now serving fish), sandwiches at Tookie’s in the Exxon across from McDonald’s, Robinwood Restuarant and the Wendell Country Club for breakfast and lunch. I believe that adds up to 10.

There is no question, but that we need and deserve more, but in order to get more restaurants to come we must do everything we can to support the ones we have. The now closed El Cerro building, formerly The Meeting Place, is just sitting there ready to go, waiting for someone to move in. Anyone that believes that we won’t or can’t support more eating places should go to the Boulevard Pizza on a Friday night and see how full the parking lot is.

Here’s the bottom line, we all want Wendell to be prosperous. For that to happen we must support our 135 businesses. If we support our existing businesses, they will stay and more businesses will come.

If more businesses come, which will mean fewer empty storefronts, it will broaden our commercial tax base and possibly lower our individual residential taxes. It’s a win/win situation and all we have to do is every time we drive out of our driveway to spend some money, stop and think. Can I buy the goods and services I’m looking for in Wendell?

If you’re going to spend it, spend it in Wendell.

Sam Laughery was sworn into office as a Wendell town commissioner on Monday night.