When I first heard about the 3/50 Project on Facebook, I thought, "Wow - what a great idea!" The idea behind this project is simple - like their logo says, "Saving the Brick and Mortars our nation is built on" - LOCAL businesses. You know the ones - the local mom and pop shops where they know who you are, know how you like your burger or how much starch you like on your shirts or know that your bumper was coming loose the last time you came in for an oil change.
How does this amazing project work? Very simply - Pick 3 businesses a week, spend a total of $50. Imagine what could happen in your local economies if half of your town did that. I love the statistic on their front page regarding how money spent in locally owned businesses stays local. I never thought of how much of an impact it had on my little town when I decide to buy dinner at a chain instead of the mom and pop just down the road.
I'm a big stickler for spending my dollars at businesses owned by my neighbors. If I go out and grab coffee, it's from my little favorite coffee shack owned by a neighbor. Craving Italian? Yep - I go local as well because, well we have an amazing Italian restaurant here.
But, Emmy - you say. The prices are always lower at the national chain stores! OK, you've got me there but let me throw out this example for you.
You're in the market for a new, fancy-dancy-schmancy TV. You want all the bells and whistles so you can see the sweat forming on Tony Romo's forehead. You do your thing - price comparing. National Chain Store has that TV for $1000. Local NonChain Store has it for $1400.
You buy from the Chain, get the TV home and settle in. Two months later, something's wrong. It isn't working! You lug it back to the store where you find that A. They're going to charge you a re-stocking fee or B. "I'm sorry but we'll have to send out your TV to the manufacturer. It'll be back in 2 months."
OR
You buy from the Local, get the TV home and 2 months later, something's wrong. You lug it back to the local, are greeting warmly, and they go about busting their butt to satisfy you. "We don't have another one in stock but there's a local store on the other side of town that has it. We'll call them and see what we can do."
(This is a personal experience of mine.)
It's all in the customer service that keeps ME going back to my locally owned stores. I've gotten to the point that if I have to shop a chain, I get out of there as quickly as humanly possible. A local store makes me want to linger a little more, makes me feel welcome and glad that I'm there. Too many times I've been in a chain, asked a question and got the feeling that I was inconveniencing them for asking. I see you nodding your head. Been there too, haven't you? Have you ever gotten that eyeroll?
As real estate agents, we deal with local businesses a lot - from our signs to business cards to telling our new clients up abouut great services for HVAC or pool cleaning or what have you. Local is the backbone of our community. It's what shaped our cities decades ago. When I have friends in town to visit, we seek out the restaurants that have been around for ages like La Posta in Mesilla, NM. I take them to the local galleries or specialty shops. They've got chains in their own town that they can go to. Local is the flavor of our communities. I know when I go to other towns, I always tell my friends to show off their town for me - what's good and local?
A chain is a chain is a chain. A local is special, unique and a breed apart. Time to start supporting them like never before...before they ALL disappear to the Big Boxes.
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