Deb Brown over at needalittleadvice.com is a national treasure. She’s a terrific advocate for buying locally, and I read and loved her story about what her local chamber has been doing and suggests you do for the holidays:
Buy one gift locally.
Sure, you can buy more if you like but promise me – and your community – you’ll buy one.
Maybe it is fun to elbow your neighbor at 4 AM over the last $3 door buster throw rug.
Maybe it is easier to let Amazon and UPS do the heavy lifting.
And you can still do both those things.
Just. Buy. One. Gift. Locally.
Some statistics from Deb’s post:
Why should we care about staying in town to shop? Why not go to the big box stores that are having all the sales? ELocal.com gives us the following statistics about Big Box Chains vs. Local Businesses:
– Throughout the United States, only about 33.6% of the revenue from national chains is reinvested into the community, which is very low compared to the 64.8% return from local businesses. (2009)
– A study in Austin, Texas found that $100 spent at a local bookstore produced $45 worth of local economic activity, and $100 at the chain store Borders brought back only $13.
– National chains often bring loss of employment. The opening of a Wal-Mart reduces retail employment by an average of 150 jobs in the county of its location.
– Local businesses are usually established in city centers, instead of on the margins of communities like large chains, so they contribute less to pollution, congestion, habitat loss and urban sprawl.
Let’s make this pledge. I’m not asking for much – just one thing: buy one gift locally.
Let that be your gift to me.
Good luck Friday. Remember peace on earth and all that stuff while you’re sharpening your elbows Thursday night.
Thank you Tim for the kind words!
Just imagine if everyone in your county bought one thing locally — instead of driving to the big box stores on Thanksgiving at 8 pm, why not sleep a little later and shop your local stores?
Amen! Keep up the great work and great words!
As a small business owner we try to give back to our local community. I buy locally when possible and plan on again buying locally this year. Also, restaurant gift certificates are always a great gift.