Seriously though, these are worrisome days if you watch the nightly news (which I do not thank goodness).  There are messages flying at us every day that tell us the financial system is on the verge of collapse, the auto industry is on the verge of collapse, we’re hanging on by a thread…

Well, let us be a voice of light in these dark times….help is here, and that help is YOU.

Though it’s often paid lip service,  small business really is the engine behind our economy.  Here are some statistics:

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there were nearly 23 million small businesses in the U.S. in 2002, representing 99.7 percent of the nation’s total number of employers. Collectively these businesses employ half of the private sector workforce, pay 44.3 percent of the total U.S. private payroll and generate 60 to 80 percent of new jobs annually.

And here’s the best part:  We don’t need a multi-billion dollar bailout to get this sector right back on track.  Unlike hulking, multi-national organizations which have a ‘process’ by which they increase ‘headcount’, Local Independent businesses respond much more quickly to increased demand.  Johnny has 3 people running his store, things are way too busy for those three for a week, Johnny hires #4.

If you’re wondering, yes, this all leads somewhere.  While we haven’t really gone public yet (stay tuned for a powerful series of events during the month of March),  a collaboration of Local Independent Business Networks from all around New England is launching a new, compelling and timely campaign.

The 10% Shift is a grassroots initiative lead by Local Independent business owners, Local Independent Business Networks, community leaders, politicians and citizens from all around New England.  We are asking for individuals, businesses, nonprofits and, whenever possible, government agencies to shift 10% of their purchases from non-local business to Local Independents this year.  Doing so would yield tremendous benefits for our local economy, those positive effects would happen this year, and it would happen without the use of one single tax dollar.

Learn more about the 10% Shift study in Michigan here via BusinessWeekOnline.

10% is a reasonable number too.  We’re not asking you to drastically change your life and go live on a hippie commune…we’re just asking you to find ways (and we provide tools to help) to make a modest behavior shift. This program is all about our collective power.  A modest change by some, would yield huge results for all.

So consider this me throwing down the gauntlet.  I think people are ready for a change in the way we approach business, and we believe that Local Independents play a huge role.  In a lot of ways, many of us are asking:  But what can I do?  Consider that question answered.

We’ve powered this campaign by launching a website that tells the story, offers you the chance to make the shift, and gives you tools to figure out how:  check out – http://www.10percentshift.org.

I’m shifting 10%…how about you?

Keep it Local, Keep it Fresh
jG

P.S. – One more thing.  In a time when so many issues divide us, turn us against each other and nullify our collective power as citizens, this campaign is a uniter.  Take, for example, Peggy Noonan. Peggy writes for the Wall Street Journal OpEd pages, was an aide to President Reagan and a speechwriter for President George W. Bush.  Here is the last few lines of one of her recent articles:

The comeback will be from the ground up and will start with innovation. No one trusts big anymore. In the future everything will be local. That’s where the magic will be. And no amount of pessimism will stop it once it starts.

This issue is not Red or Blue, it’s not Black or White…it’s all about Green (in dollars and philosophy).

Our friend Joe Grafton at Somerville Local First sent along this little tid-bit and I thought I’d share it with you. It’s just yet another reminder of the benefits of shopping locally. When you spend your hard-earned bucks locally, that’s more money for the local economy. It’s a system that benefits everyone – there’s no downside. Check it out…

There’s a new study out, further quantifies the benefits of shopping locally.  It shows that if 600,000 residents shifted 10% of their shopping locally, the community would experience tremendous economic benefits, such as:

* 1600 jobs would be created
* There would be $137 Million in new economic activity
* There would be $50 Million in new wages earned

You can find the Exec Summary and Full Report here.

– Ben

The easiest part of this challenge has been the restaurants. From Pescatore and Redbones BBQ in Somerville, Union Oyster House in Faneuil Hall, even all the way to Barnacle Billy’s in Maine, we’ve had an unlimited supply of local spots to dine. Downtown Wine and Spirits and local bars like The Draft (which just opened their new outdoor patio, by the way) and The Fours next to the Garden (Go Celts!) were obvious choices for entertainment. Groceries have been relatively easy as well with markets like Foodies in the South End. Farmer’s Markets like the Union Square Farmer’s Market have also been a big help during our buy local challenge.

Aside from a few blunders; a flat screen from Best Buy, a window air conditioner from Home Depot and some last minute Father’s Day cards at CVS we’ve made some major improvements. We’ve kicked our Dunkin Donuts habit and in exchange we’ve been frequenting places like the Buttery. We’ve replaced our Exxon Stations for neighborhood gas stations like Teele Square Auto. One of us even went so far as to drive to Hampstead New Hampshire to buy a power tool from East Coast Lumber! It hasn’t been an easy few weeks, but it’s definitely been a learning experience. We’ve got two more weeks to go and many more lessons to learn. Be sure to check back for more updates this month.

How about you? Do you feel like you try to shop locally when you have the choice? If so, why and if not, why? There’s no right or wrong answer either, so please, be candid!

– Julie

After dinner we ended up a wine bar in the Upper West Wide called Wine & Roses. When we walked in, we were deep in the conversation, a friendly debate. We sat down at the bar right as I was trying to explain that consumer choice, in my opinion, is about three things:

1. Convenience: That is, what is closest to me or least interruptive to my day. Whether it’s a national chain or a local boutique, just give it to me quickly.
2. Budget: That is, I know how much I’m willing to pay, and no more. Whether it’s local, at a national brand, or online, I’m willing to take the time to find the best deal possible.
3. Community: I support my local mom-and-pop businesses, I believe they are essential to my community, and I value my relationship with them. I’m also aware of the economic benefits of buying locally.

It’s possible to have a hybrid of all three, of course, and most local businesses provide exactly that – convenience, affordability, and are actively part of their community. Redbones in Somerville’s Davis Square is a great example of this. They provide a quality product, excellent service, they are extremely convenient (they deliver this quality product on Redbones branded bicycles), and they are very active in the Somerville and Davis Square communities.

As we were discussing this and sat down at the bar, it happened to be next to the owner, Jennifer. I asked for her opinion on the topic and she more or less validated those three points with one major caveat – location. If you live in Manhattan, you have choices – lots and lots of choices. (But even that is changing, in a city like NY where you can’t walk three blocks without passing a national chain. It seems like the days of the local mom-and-pop are numbered in Manhattan.)

Anyway, the owner of this wine bar, Jennifer, explained that she was leaving for Arizona to see some family outside Mesa, and suggested that she is well aware that when she gets there she won’t have the same options and will certainly end up eating and buying at national chains. Now, she didn’t suggest this was a bad thing, or a good thing, but we all agreed that there is a reality in America where in some places consumers have choices about where to spend their money (the city) yet in others (Mesa, AZ) they just don’t.

Local businesses drive our national economy, this is a fact. They’re the oil in the nation’s economic engine. Local business is the best ingredient for any community’s success.

Anyway, to tie it all back together, and where we all seemed to agree last night, is on one simple but very important point – ultimately the consumers need to decide. That is very powerful. It doesn’t matter what political party you belong to, you surely still want the same things for your community, for your children, your family, and for your neighbors – your community. At CitySquares we really believe in this. It’s the mission behind the business. It all begins with the local businesses. Supporting your local and independent businesses is critical for your community’s sustainability.

To wrap it up, here is a brief illustration of what’s known as The Multiplier Effect, which is explained nicely in this brief video clip from an independent film called Independent America.

– Ben