Why You Should Shop Local

When you buy from an independent retailer, instead of a chain, more of what you spend stays in your community.  The Economist reports that a study done on booksellers in Austin showed that $45 of every $100 spent in two independent retailers stayed in Austin, compared to only $13 for chain stores.  Of course, people have long argued that when you buy from an independent you support the incomes of your friends and neighbors who run local businesses.  But this is the first time I have seen economic data on the difference local businesses make in the community. Even if the difference in buying from a locally owned business is only twice as much instead of three times as much, as suggested by another economist quoted in the article, it still follows that if you want to support your community, you’ll shop local.