<p>I do both. Like Ebeeee I live in a tourist town but one that is a bit larger. No Target or Walmart or Toys R US without a 45 minute drive each direction. Grocery stores are mostly chains. I do spend more shopping at Gelson’s which is a smaller chain. I do that mainly due to selection and quality of their chicken. Plus they have helpful nice staff.
I love my local bookstore. It is the one remaining large bookstore in town. Barnes and Noble and Borders have all shut down. I love that the staff knows books and they gift wrap for free. It has been crowded the last few weeks and I am happy that people are supporting them. Granted if I want a new best seller I buy it at Costco. I have a Kindle that I only use when I travel.
When we eat out we go local.
We do have a Costco. I admit to shopping there. I figure it must be a good place to work since the staff stays constant and they are helpful and happy. We buy appliances local but do hit Home Depot and OSH for other items. For nursery plants I do both local and Home Depot.
For clothing I admit I shop the internet and chain stores due to price. I have a sibling who had a local store in the Bay area of Ca. She did well for awhile but shut down about a year ago. She carried goods that were not readily available at the large department store but the rise of internet sites such as Gilt and Rue La La hit her business hard.</p>