THE HISTORY OF THINK LOCAL FIRST

In the spring of 2007, in the midst of a downturn in the economy, a handful of Santa Cruz business owners rallied around a common concern: the threat to local businesses posed by proliferating chain stores and easy online shopping.

Think Local First formed in 2007 around the shared desire to “promote and sustain economic vitality while preserving the unique character of Santa Cruz County.” The logic was that if the community was more aware of the benefits of supporting independent and locally owned businesses, the ‘local’ economy would prosper and circulate money throughout the community, ultimately, contributing to the vibrancy and health of Santa Cruz County.

Think Local First’s first public meeting took place at Bookshop Santa Cruz, our own local treasure, in October of 2007. We invited participation to members of the public to share ideas and continue the momentum of the movement. Think Local First and its members emphasized the link between our unique, thriving local economy and a unique, thriving town. It’s a simple concept, really: what goes around comes around. It’s about creating our community – together.

That was 15 years ago and the world has changed dramatically since then, but the reasons and results of supporting our local businesses has remained the same.