WHY SUPPORT LOCAL
is vital to the preservation of the
economy and unique character of
our neighborhoods.
TEN GOOD REASONS TO SHOP AT LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES
1. Buy Local -- Support yourself: Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms -- continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.
2. Support community groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.
3. Keep our community unique. Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of New York City. Our tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation Trust.
4. Reduce environmental impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
5. Create more good jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, providing the most jobs to residents.
6. Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
7. Invest in community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in the community, are less likely to leave the community, and are more invested in the community’s future.
8. Put your taxes to good use: Local businesses in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.
9. Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.
10. Encourage local prosperity: A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.
THE AFFECTS OF BIG RETAILERS ON INDEPENDENT STORES
Major retail chains are pushing out and closing down independent stores around the country. For example:
- In the last decade 11,000 independent pharmacies and 40% of independent bookshops have closed down.
- 100 restaurants chains now capture more than half of the nations restaurant spending
- In 2006 a major retailer opened in the West Side neighborhood of Chicago. Within one year, 23 retail businesses in the surrounding area closed down.
Case-study: Wal-mart Opens to Iowa
In Iowa, the average Wal-Mart superstore cost other merchants in the town $12 million a year in sales and stores in smaller towns nearby also suffered substantial revenue losses. These sales losses resulted in the closure of 7,326 Iowa businesses between 1983 and 1993.
For more examples and information go to http://www.bigboxtoolkit.com/index.php/Fact-Sheets/
BUY LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES
Case-Study: Portland Independent Business and Community Alliance
Just six months after launching a buy local campaign in Portland, ME, PIBCA surveyed its members and found that nearly two-thirds reported that the campaign had already had a positive impact on their businesses, generating increased sales and greater customer appreciation.
Case-study: Sustainable Connections, Bellingham, WA.
In Bellingham, WA., a 2006 survey found that 3 of 5 households attribute a behavior change in the way they shop to the "Think Local First" campaign by Sustainable Connections, a coalition of more than 500 locally owned businesses. The same survey showed that when making a decision about a business purchase, 89 percent always or often consider whether the supplier of the goods or services is locally owned and/or whether the product is locally manufactured or grown. More than two-thirds said this is more or much more often than they considered these factors before Think Local First started.
Testimonials: Buy Local First Utah
"More people are becoming aware of the issue, and more people are trying to support local businesses as a result of Buy Local First's efforts" Tim Welsh, co-owner of the Beehive Cheese Company and member of Buy Local First Utah.
"We are pushing the 'Buy Local' idea... had to have played a big role in how well I did during the holiday season." Richard Wirick, owner of Oxford Shoes and member of Buy Local First Utah.
"This campaign is the foundation of my whole company… thanks to the campaign many people are now seeking out local businesses and asking for locally produced foods and other products" John Winder, owner of Spotted Dog Creamery and member of Buy Local First Utah.
Independent Research: Independent Business Forum, January 2008
A nationwide survey of 1,382 independent retailers found:
- A desire to support locally owned businesses is emerging as a factor in people's shopping choice
- In a difficult economic climate, many independent retailers are holding their own and even seeing sales gains by emphasizing their local ownership and community roots
- Cities with active "Buy Local" campaigns reported much larger increases in holiday sales on average than those in cities without such campaigns