Not only are Buy Local campaigns important for businesses and the community, they are equally as important to each individual in the community.
Big box stores go into cities and get big tax breaks with the promise of good paying jobs. But do they deliver on that promise and do they give back to the community? In most cases national chains bring a loss of Jobs.
- The opening of a Wal-mart reduces retail employment by an average of 150 jobs in the county of its location
- Only about 33.6% of the revenue from national chains is reinvested into the community
- Locally owned and operated businesses reinvest, on average, 64.8%.
A 2003 Study in the Midcoast region of Maine by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance points to a long-tail of economic impact from locally-owned independent businesses "In terms of sourcing inventory, supplies, and services, we found that the eight localbusinesses are supporting a variety of other local businesses. All eight bank with locallyowned banks. They purchase inventory from local manufacturers, advertise in localnewspapers, and hire local accountants, printers, internet service providers, and repairpeople."
