Think Local First!
You work hard for every dollar you spend! Do you know where it goes? Your decision regarding where to spend your money impacts the community where you live, work and play. If you want to impact the local character of this area and make it better, then read on and see what a difference a simple dollar makes.
Many residents have watched their local businesses slowly withering away from their town, unable to make a living trying to compete against the big box stores and chain restaurant that have taken over our communities. When we shop and dine local we are supporting our local community not just one business. Attorneys, accountants, insurance agencies, food suppliers, print shops, uniform businesses and janitorial suppliers are just a few of the businesses that are supported from local business.
When we shop at a national chain store, we are supporting a store here in addition to the corporate head quarters usually located in a major city. That doesn't sound like much, but when you stop to think about how much they aren't contributing to your community it ends up being a lot. Here are a few things that aren't done at the local level: accounting, insurance, maintenance, print materials, food supplies, uniforms, human resources, legal, materials, remodels, janitorial supplies, etc.
The corporate stores and chains pay taxes and employ many people, but those same taxes would be generated if you were purchasing from a local business instead of a chain. The employees could be employed by a local business if they had more sales. In addition a local business would be using a local accountant, a local attorney, a local insurance agent, etc.
There has been a study done on local business called the 3 50 project*. Their research found that for every $100 spent at a local business $68 was returned to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. That same $100 spent at a national chain only returned $43 to the community. That $100 spent online returns $0 to the community. (Well other than the UPS guys paycheck)
The 3 50 project* suggest that we pick 3 local businesses that we like and shift $50 a month of our spending from a national retailer to them. If 20% of our population in Cape Girardeau County did this, we estimate over 2 million in sales would be generated for the local business community. Imagine if half of our employed population did this. It would make a great impact on local business and the businesses that they support. So never think that your one sale isn't that important.
Now don't get me wrong, national chains have their place and we're not putting them down. We are just trying to lift up our local businesses.
So the next time you are thinking about where to grab a bite to eat "Think Local First"; Or buying something you need around the house "Think Local First". You might just be improving our community as well.
Have Fun and Shop Local,
Janet Wade
* 3 50 Project Website
Many residents have watched their local businesses slowly withering away from their town, unable to make a living trying to compete against the big box stores and chain restaurant that have taken over our communities. When we shop and dine local we are supporting our local community not just one business. Attorneys, accountants, insurance agencies, food suppliers, print shops, uniform businesses and janitorial suppliers are just a few of the businesses that are supported from local business.
When we shop at a national chain store, we are supporting a store here in addition to the corporate head quarters usually located in a major city. That doesn't sound like much, but when you stop to think about how much they aren't contributing to your community it ends up being a lot. Here are a few things that aren't done at the local level: accounting, insurance, maintenance, print materials, food supplies, uniforms, human resources, legal, materials, remodels, janitorial supplies, etc.
The corporate stores and chains pay taxes and employ many people, but those same taxes would be generated if you were purchasing from a local business instead of a chain. The employees could be employed by a local business if they had more sales. In addition a local business would be using a local accountant, a local attorney, a local insurance agent, etc.
There has been a study done on local business called the 3 50 project*. Their research found that for every $100 spent at a local business $68 was returned to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. That same $100 spent at a national chain only returned $43 to the community. That $100 spent online returns $0 to the community. (Well other than the UPS guys paycheck)
The 3 50 project* suggest that we pick 3 local businesses that we like and shift $50 a month of our spending from a national retailer to them. If 20% of our population in Cape Girardeau County did this, we estimate over 2 million in sales would be generated for the local business community. Imagine if half of our employed population did this. It would make a great impact on local business and the businesses that they support. So never think that your one sale isn't that important.
Now don't get me wrong, national chains have their place and we're not putting them down. We are just trying to lift up our local businesses.
So the next time you are thinking about where to grab a bite to eat "Think Local First"; Or buying something you need around the house "Think Local First". You might just be improving our community as well.
Have Fun and Shop Local,
Janet Wade
* 3 50 Project Website
Posted by The Local Management at 11/25/2009 12:53 PM 
Categories: Why Locally Owned!
Tags: Business Shopping Local
Categories: Why Locally Owned!
Tags: Business Shopping Local
I am a supporter of the education of the local community to discover the major impact that big corporations make on our local economy. and not to mention I am a glass blower I am currently hoping to open a business in the cape Girardeau area and can only hope the community would support my dream as an artist. so I give you all respect as to your mission. you have my support.
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I totally agree with the "buy local" movement, however the real problem is not bad choices made by consumers (like us not buying all those inexpensive electric cars instead of gas-burners...oh, yeah, we were never offered that choice!) The actual problem is that lobbyists for corporations write laws then pay "lawmakers" to pass them. Therefore all laws are crafted to make someone money. We hear the ludicrous charge that unions priced themselves out of jobs by demanding higher wages. Chinese children work for less than 50 cents an hour. I guess there are some clueless clowns who think we should compete with that. When the trade and tax laws are written to profit corporations by moving jobs out of the country we all suffer. During the 30's through the 70's when the tax rate on the highest "earners" was up to 90%they left their money in the businesses and they grew them. When we made it cheap for them to take their money out and eliminated the regulations they speculated and created economic bubbles.
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