What three independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared?
I would miss Milk and Honey, my local coffee shop. Every weekend morning, my little pup and I are there at eight on the dot (okay, most every morning at eight, very rarely at eleven and they notice when I’m late) for my four-shot, one pump vanilla latte. On Sunday afternoons, after a lazy movie and nap with my husband, I walk over again for a four o’clock pick-me-up. I so look forward to the ritual, the walk with the dog, the first sip. The summertime patio is comfortable and surrounded by flower boxes, with sun-bleached vintage tablecloths on each table. Milk and Honey is so ingrained in my weekends that I would only consider apartments within walking distance when we were thinking of moving.
I would miss Diana Shoes. They’ll give you a deal you will not get at any Foot Locker if you buy two pair of Air Force Ones, or any other shoe. Bargaining is encouraged and they have a huge selection.
I would miss North Coast Video with its snappy signage, battered red carpet and the clerks who let me sneak my dog inside when no one is around. Yes, Netflix is great. But when you want to watch something right-now-this-moment, North Coast Video is just a block away. It’s super nostalgic, actually browsing the aisles of an independent video store (I can’t even bear to call it a DVD store). When was the last time you actually did that? Touched the case, looked at the back?
The 3/50 Project has been around for about a year and I’m glad I finally heard about it. Here’s the deal, straight from their site.
3 What 3 independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keeps those businesses around.
50 If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine the positive impact if 3/4 of the employed population did that.
68 For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.
Pick 3. Spend $50. Save your local economy.
What are your three?
