Shop Local
Why Shop Local?
When shopping for goods or services, keep in mind these suggestions. If step 1 doesn’t work, go to 2. If 2 doesn’t have what you need, go to 3.
1. Buy locally-owned
First try a locally-owned business. They live here and care about the community. The money you give them stays primarily within the community, and most local businesses are big supporters of community schools and organizations..
2. Buy local
Even if the business is not locally-owned, at least the local government gets some of the sales tax. And some of the employees likely live in the community.
3. Buy nearby
Even if you buy from businesses in neighboring counties, at least you’re helping businesses and communities in our region.
Why Locally Owned?
Locally owned businesses help the local economy. Chain stores don’t. A study done in Chicago found:
* For every $100 in consumer spending with a local firm, $68 remained in the Chicago economy vs. $43 for spending at a chain store.
* For every square foot occupied by a local firm, local economic impact was $179 vs. $105 for a chain store.
Locally-owned business owners are our friends and neighbors. They have the same stake in the health and success of the community as we do. They participate in the community, giving far more generously than chain stores to youth groups, non-profits and schools. When times are tough, they don’t fire everyone, close down, and flee to their other stores around the country. They stay, because it’s their home.
You Can Help
The above link will take you to a list of foods, services and other items that you could buy at a chain business. When you need any of these, we recommend you first consider buying them at a locally-owned business. You’ll get as good or better quality, quite likely better service, in most cases competitive prices, and you’ll be supporting people who live in, and care about, our community.
We recognize also that if you live in Calistoga, for example, and you can’t find what you need at a local shop, it makes more sense to go over the hill to Santa Rosa than to come all the way down to Napa—unless you’re coming down here for other purposes as well. Use your own judgement but keep in mind the value of shopping in your local community.
A number of these businesses and services also help you save money by having items repaired or by purchasing previously owned items. Some also give you the opportunity to recycle items that you no longer need but that someone else would be delighted to have.
Napa County Go Local
A group of Napa County businesses and consumers dedicated to keeping their money in our local community as much as possible, and attempts as much as possible to employ sustainable, “green” methods of running their business.
Other Resources
Business Alliance for a Local Living Economy
“BALLE seeks to build community wealth by catalyzing, connecting, and strengthening local business networks dedicated to building Living Economies.”
The Small-Mart Revolution
[book]
How local businesses are being the global competition.
Small-Mart
www.small-mart.org
Ideas and tools for building healthy local economies
