Do you remember as a child going with your family to local stores whether it was to grocery shop or visit a local pharmacy? Or maybe there was a cute little shop filled with knick-knacks you always loved to use your allowance money to splurge on?
In Connecticut, many of our towns have change dramatically, with shifts from small businesses to larger stores, while some have stayed quaint and small. However you may feel about where our towns are going and growing, its those small businesses, with the same owners that seems to bring a familiar, warm feeling to all of our hearts.
This year, Small Business Saturday is on November 29th and will be focusing on shopping local! Its a great way to get out in your local and surrounding communities in Connecticut and see what our small businesses have to offer from great gifts, ideas, products and necessities.
Why shop local? If you are able to, shopping local has some great benefits on the community! Here are just a few great reasons to shop local in Connecticut this year:
1.For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $68 stays in the local economy compared to only $43 if spent at a national chain.
Source: Civic Economics study on Grand Rapids, Michigan – Sept. 2008
2. Local firms procure local goods and services at more than twice the rate of chains.
Source: Anderson Study of Retail Economics, Chicago, IL – Oct. 2004
3. If each household simply redirected just $100 of planned holiday spending from chain stores to locally owned merchants, the local economic impact would reach approximately $10 million.
Source: AIBA Economic Impact case study – Dec. 2002
While there are many facts and the benefits of shopping local, its very easy to see and understand the benefits of shopping and support small, local businesses. Mark your calendars, share the information and consider stopping in to some of the great stores in your community not only November 29th, but those times in between!
