scooterbug44
SoWal Expert
During hard economic times it is more important than ever to support your local stores and businesses. Nothing you say or do has a bigger impact than where you choose to spend your money with each and every purchase. Each time you choose to spend your dollars at a local, independent business, you are voting for the continued strength and vitality of our community.
The choice is yours. You have the power to strengthen and enrich our community..................or weaken it.
This holiday season I ask everyone to give gifts purchased from local artists or businesses. Not only will you give unique and special items to the recipient, you will be also be giving a gift to our community.
Sowal is full of great art galleries, boutiques, shops, restaurants, and has an ever expanding farmer's market with great specialty items. Many local merchants are giving discounts and bonus items. Plus, to make your life even easier, many will also wrap your gifts for you free of charge!
Please also remember our many local charities that are doing more than ever during these hard times - a donation to Alaqua for an animal lover, some books donated to the library for an avid reader, food or money to help feed those going without, toys for kids whose parents can't afford them, even an old coat you don't ever wear can make a big difference to your friends and neighbors.
- Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
- Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state.
- Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States.
- Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.
- A locally owned independent business returns approximately 80% of each dollar spent back to the community. Chains and franchises only contribute roughly 40%-20% of the store’s sales back into the community through employee wages, sales taxes, and property taxes.
- Local, independent businesses assist the community through a “multiplier effect”: one dollar spent at a locally owned business will return five times that amount within the community through city taxes, employees’ wages, and purchase of materials and supplies at other independent businesses. In addition, these businesses will turn that dollar back into the community through school funding, social services, and contributions to local non-profit organizations.
- For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
- When you shop locally owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state.
The choice is yours. You have the power to strengthen and enrich our community..................or weaken it.
This holiday season I ask everyone to give gifts purchased from local artists or businesses. Not only will you give unique and special items to the recipient, you will be also be giving a gift to our community.
Sowal is full of great art galleries, boutiques, shops, restaurants, and has an ever expanding farmer's market with great specialty items. Many local merchants are giving discounts and bonus items. Plus, to make your life even easier, many will also wrap your gifts for you free of charge!
Please also remember our many local charities that are doing more than ever during these hard times - a donation to Alaqua for an animal lover, some books donated to the library for an avid reader, food or money to help feed those going without, toys for kids whose parents can't afford them, even an old coat you don't ever wear can make a big difference to your friends and neighbors.
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