UNDATED (WOWO): Thousands of local, independent retailers are depending on Hoosiers this holiday season. 

Indiana Retail Council President Grant Monahan says most Hoosiers will visit malls and national chain stores, but they should also remember Indiana's small, local merchants. Monahan says buying local has great advantages that often includes greater customer service and sharper focus on merchants' specialties and what customers may be seeking. 

Monahan says local, independent merchants may be more expensive simply because they don't have the “buying power” of national chains like Target, Macy's or Walmart. Monahan says that doesn't diminish their importance in the marketplace. He says local merchants are crucial to providing “genuine balance to the retail sector in the Indiana economy.”