In today’s newspaper, we wrote about a new gourmet ice cream shop that’s prepared to open soon in LaGrange. Frios is coming at the perfect time — right in the midst of another red hot, long Georgia summer.

However, by now we’re used to new businesses opening up in our area. It’s almost easy to become immune to it — to almost expect it to happen. The list of new or soon-to-be open businesses includes Great Wolf Lodge, Frios, Bargain Hunt, Harbor Freight, Firehouse Subs, the Courtyard by Marriot Hotel, Wild Leap Brew — and it goes on and on.

Most cities only wish they were that lucky.  This is truly a great time to live and work in LaGrange, but it’s important that we remember how lucky we are to have all of these businesses opening up here.

Many cities this size do not have that kind of track record, where it feels like a new business is opening its doors every week.

So, what does that mean for us? It means we need to shop local, be thankful for the companies here, and not make the one-hour drive to Atlanta to buy something we can easily find in LaGrange.

It means when Vince Gill — or anyone — plays at Sweetland Amphitheatre, every seat should be filled, as they were Friday night.

The more we support our local people and local businesses, the more businesses will want to move to LaGrange.