Why Supporting Local Businesses Matters
Shop Local!
We say, “Shop local!” a lot, but what exactly does that mean? It can be a socially ambiguous term, I mean, Wal*Mart is local, right?
What we are really saying, is we want you to be supporting local businesses that are independently owned by people in your community. We want you to go to the grocery store owned by the deacon at your church. We want you to visit the deli your neighbor owns when you need meat and fresh made mozzarella. To patronize locally owned New Jersey businesses is to have your date nights at the Italian restaurant down the street that has been owned for three generations, and always puts fresh basil in the pasta sauce. But, it’s more than just knowing the guy you buy your morning bagel from. By shopping with your neighbors, friends, and family members you’re strengthening and building your community.
When you invest in your community, you invest in your family and your future. Large, impersonal corporations perpetuate income inequality and take large percentages of their income out of the community they feed off of.
According to the Indie Impact Study Series: Salt Lake City Utah,
“local retailers return a total of 52 percent of their revenue to the local economy, compared to just 14 percent for the national chain retailers. Similarly, the local restaurants recirculate an average of 79 percent of their revenue locally, compared to 30 percent for the chain eateries.”
This is a shocking and upsetting disparity but it gives us an opportunity. An opportunity to rebuild our downtown areas and town squares. An opportunity to build our economy without relying on politicians. All we have to do is patronize our locally owned small businesses in the Shore area. By filling our neighborhood deli and farmers market instead of big box grocery stores and superstores, we are creating jobs and fighting poverty.
When a large superstore comes into an area they often decimate the competition, leaving local citizens jobless and with no choice but to work for the new store. These superstores also often pay so little that their employees are on welfare and food stamps. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty and drains the area of money and personality.
We can fight this.
When we remain loyal to the flower shop owned by our city councilman and the bakery owned by our best friend from high school we are keeping our money in the community. Eclectic and fun town squares and downtown areas bring in tourism and encourage community events.
We believe in this so vehemently because we are a small locally owned business. We know that supporting other local businesses from the area is the same as supporting ourselves.
We also think you should join us in our mission.
Whether you’re an avid shopper, or just need groceries once a week we encourage you to start shopping with the local businesses in the Jersey shore area. Browse our directory now and find coupons and specials for local businesses and make it your mission to exclusively shop locally own small businesses and take back your community.
If you are a locally owned business we want you to add yourself to our directory today!
We want to promote and support your business so that we can all have a chance to succeed and thrive.