Local Life Bluffton

locallife Bluffton

Support MAIN STREET not WALL STREET

shop more local

.org

a shopmorelocal publication

Fall 2017

LocallifeBluffton.com

Picktwo

Think about which 2 locally owned stores you’d really miss most if they were gone.

Stop in and say hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Your small contribution is what is going to keep our local businesses around.

If all 65,054 households in Beaufort County shifted $20.00 per week from national chains to a local independently owned business, the community impact would be $67 million per year.

Does it make you think twice about that national chain?

Spend $20

Just Imagine the other positive impacts of keeping it local in Lowcountry!

• Help create more jobs in Lowcountry Small local businesses are collectively the largest employer nationally and, therefore, provide the most jobs to residents in our community.

• Help keep Lowcountry green Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and smaller carbon footprint.

• Help create more choice More local businesses mean more choice and diversity. Local business owners select products based on the needs of local customers.

• Help them invest back into the community.

Locally-owned businesses are the first to donate to causes that are close to our hearts because they live here and raise families here too. And they donate more than twice the rate of national chains.

Remember!

Pick two, spend $20. Keep the Lowcountry Local!

LocallifeBluffton.com

Announcing the Shop More Local E-Commerce Store.

We at Shop More Local are passionate about helping our community by promoting our local businesses and professionals. And we are always thinking about new ways to promote their products and services.

Our latest initiative is the launch our of E-commerce store!

And just in time for the holidays.

We are busy putting together the best items the Lowcountry has to offer you (clothes, jewelry, gift certificates, bike rentals, and on and on) all in one place.

Think of it as Amazon except you know the merchants (they are your friends and neighbors), your money stays local, you help keep local people employed‌ and you might save a tree!

So, kick your shoes off, get comfy, and be ready to do some local shopping now:

www.shopmorelocal.org/shop

LocallifeBlufftond.com

partner Become a ShopMoreLocal.org

We asked:

How do you see the importance of local shopping?

How does your business interact and support with other local businesses and the community?

There are many benefits to joining Shop More Local as a business partner.

Increased exposure of your business through SML • Online profile page on SML website • Ability to tap into our powerful network of over 130,000 readers when SML is featured in Hilton Head/ Bluffton Monthly Magazine • Exposure to over 23,000 subscribers when SML is featured on weekly Hilton Monthly newsletter • Unlimited dedicated business status updates on the SML Facebook • E-Commerce Offer products and services through the E-Commerce sight on ShopMorelocal.org.

Ability to participate in the various Shop More Local initiatives.

• Insertion and listing in the SML Guide (October/March edition of Monthly magazine) and via participating partners.

“Local shopping helps strengthen the economics of our area and also supports business owners following their dreams.

Aunt Laurie’s supports numerous local small businesses by buying local products for our baskets. Chocolates, cookies, peanut brittle, spices, sauces, etc. all are locally sourced. Our baskets are handmade at the SC Voc. Rehab Department, so we are helping local adults with disabilities learn job skills.

Our strength is that our small business owners are dedicated and we help one another.”

- Aunt Laurie’s; auntlauries.com

• Promotion of holiday ideas in the Holiday Gift Guide (November/December Monthly magazine) • Promotion of your special offerings in the Restaurant Saving Guide • Media/community outreach • Billboard, TV, Radio, and newspaper promotion of SML with the support our media sponsors.

• SML Table at various events like Bluffton/Hilton Head Farmers Market.

What would an 7.4 % increase in revenue mean Independent businesses in communities with a long-term “buy local and independent campaign” reported average revenue growth of 7.4 percent, nearly double the 4.2 percent increase for independent businesses not served by such efforts.* * a recent survey by the American Independent Business Alliance of 3,000 business owners

“Shopping Local is literally building community. I see more chains and more big development. As consumers, we cast a vote every time we spend money.

Every time you go out to lunch or dinner, you are helping to shape Hilton Head’s future. The strengths of the Lowcountry are ALWAYS the people.

Our money stays right here on Hilton Head (with 3 daughters, it probably gets reinvested too quickly…) We host Spirits Nights on Tuesdays where a portion of the proceeds goes to a local group or charity. This year already we have raised money for PEP, SOAR, and St.Francis School’s Washington DC trip!

- Carey Basciano; Owner, Street Meet