dilemma

So Tim and I are having a discussion on what equals buying local:
So take a lightbulb for example, what is buying local?
1) Do we go to a local hardware store, say one Tom down the street owns and buy made in China? No because yes we would be supporting local but we would be buying made in China.
2)  Do we go to Orchard Supply a hardware store chain (corporation) and buy made in USA? It is a corporation but we are supporting USA made?
3) Do we order from the made in USA company directly? It is not local at all but directly supporting a USA company.
Ideally we would find made in USA lightbulbs at Toms store and that is what we are going to try to do today! If we don't which of the above options do you think we should do?