Earlier quoted context omitted.
Local vendors keep the money circulating around the local community in the form of wages, rent, and profits. So yes, they're good for a community.
> Local vendors keep the money circulating around the local community in the form of wages, rent, and profits But that's all it is; a different allocation of wealth. If you happen to live in that community, great. The question becomes: why should I care about your local community as opposed to some other local community, or even the global community, that stands to benefit from getting more for less?
You might want to care about your own community and use your own local vendors.