Why shop at a locally owned business?

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.    Support community groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.   Local Business Owners Invest In Our Community.  Local businesses are owned by people who: Live in this community; are less likely to leave; and are more invested in the community's future.   Put Your Taxes To Good Use. Local businesses in city and town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investments, add more to our tax base and make more efficient use of public services.   Create more good jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.   Less “Leakage”. Local businesses tend to buy and sell with other local businesses. “With national or multi-national firms, a percentage of that profit ‘leaks’ out of the community, the state or even the nation.”   Community ownership. Local business owners live and invest in their community. This makes them less likely to leave and more likely to be invested in how their business decisions affect the community.   When you spend a dollar locally, it multiplies. Locally owned businesses tend to do business with other locally owned businesses and aren’t constrained to buy only from a national distributor. They bank with local banks, advertise in local newspapers and purchase local services such as accounting and printing. Each time a dollar is re-spent in the local economy, it’s like new income – creating a “multiplier effect” - rather than this money “leaking out” through remote corporate headquarters and centralized purchasing departments.   They sell quirky, one-off gifts.  Independent shops often stock items which are made locally and  aren't available elsewhere: buy a dress by a fledgling designer and there is little chance of turning up to the office Christmas party wearing the same as someone else.     Sources: Local First.

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