Staylocal2014 by Inweekly

ven casual readers of the IN have probably picked up on the fact that we advocate supporting locally-owned businesses whenever possible. It's just who we are—week in, week out and it pretty much goes without saying most of the time. But once a year, we actually say it and then say it again just in case you somehow missed it. We call that issue Stay Local. This year actually marks our fifth annual issue—which means staying local has staying power. It also means we've got to find new ways to tell you why staying local matters.

April 17, 2014

We figured why not go to the source, so we talked to local business owners who support this local business. We also looked at some new studies, like the “Indie Impact Series” done by Civic Economics in partnership with the American Booksellers Association. In 2012, they compared the recirculation of revenue from national chains like Home Depot, Target and McDonald’s with independent retailers in 10 participating cities. This study concluded that 13.6% of revenue from chain stores gets recirculated into the local economy,

while the percentage for independents is much higher: 47.7%. We also found some stats that further attest to the positive impact of keeping your dollars local. Like the Small Business Administration's finding that small businesses donate nearly twice as much per employee to charitable organizations than large businesses. So next time you're debating Walmart or mom and pop, remember the power of staying local. We promise the feel good effects of knowing that about half of every dollar you spend is going back into your town will be worth it. 9

STILL STAYING LOCAL Small businesses accounted for

The next best thing to keeping a dollar in your pocket is keeping it in your community. That puts more dollars in all of our pockets and improves the quality of life for everyone. Michael Murdoch, CEO and Co-Founder of AppRiver

For every square foot a local business occupies, the local economy gains

$179

If just half the U.S. employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than

65% of all net new jobs in the US over the past 17 years

$42.6 BILLION

DID YOU KNOW?

13.6% of revenue from chain stores recirculates back into the local economy

47.7%

is recirculated locally through independents *for restaurants the rates of local recirculation of revenue were a little higher (30.4% and 64.9%, respectively)

Small businesses donate about

TWICE vs.

$105

as much per employee to charitable organizations as large businesses

When you spend your time and money at locally owned spots, you are enriching and empowering the place you call home. Plus local business owners are passionate about YOU! Most are here to make a difference, not a fortune. Kristen Lee Saxon, owner of Stay the Clinical Spa

for a chain store

WHY DOES STAY LOCAL MATTER TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS?

"By staying local, jobs are secured and created and overall life is better for people." Quint Studer, owner of The Studer Group 010 1

"The benefits of staying local include easy access, easy follow-up, and trusted referrals from friends and medical personnel. Patients come from all over the region to access our medical providers." Kevin Welch MD, Cosmetic Dermatologist at Dermatology and Laser Center

"Being in the service industry, we depend on our local clientele to stay in business. We put our hearts into our work, and we always want to give them our very best. You won't find that in big business." Stephanie E. Knight, owner and Licensed Massage Therapist at Escape Wellness Spa inweekly.net

STILL STAYING LOCAL Love Pensacola, buy Pensacola. Every dollar spent with a Pensacola-area business shows your confidence in our people, our businesses and what we can accomplish. Successful local businesses draw more business. Every dollar spent locally is a very real investment in our overall economic growth. Kurt Stenerson, Vice President of Marketing at Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union

89%

of consumers agree that independent businesses contribute positively to local economies

Small businesses employ

77 million Americans

Independent locally owned and operated businesses are often the only places you find products made by other small businesses—usually because there’s not enough of the really good stuff to go around or the profit margin isn’t high enough for the big guys to stock.

Stay local not only matters to my business and me, it matters to the local economy. We employ approximately 60 people in the community. Every dollar spent in our stores is redistributed back into this community. Shawna Fisher, Vice President of Aqua Décor & Design and Aqua Pool & Patio

Stay local is important to me because local business owners do what they do for the love of it. It's hard to run a business. It's a daily struggle, but the passion I feel for my store and my customers makes it worthwhile. Charlotte Gordon, owner of Aragon Wine Market

Residential neighborhoods served by a successful independent business district gained, on average,