[Durham INC] Why Shop Independent Durham; Shop Durham the goal (N&O)

[John Schelp]

Why Shop Independent Durham

TO SUSTAIN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY

For every $100 you spend at a national chain, $13 stays in our community. Spend the same amount with an independent local business and you will be keeping $45 local–more than tripling the local economic benefits of your spending. Spend your $100 on-line and pretty much nothing stays here.

TO SUSTAIN DURHAM’S UNIQUE CHARACTER

Prevent Durham from becoming "Anywhere U.S.A" –- filled with the same national chain stores that you find everywhere. These stores may have their value, but if that’s all there was, Durham would be a dull place indeed.

TO BE SOCI-A-BULL

At indie stores you are much more likely to have a real conversation with the owners, employees, and with other customers. We don’t say the same thing — "did you find everything you want?" — to every customer.

TO SUSTAIN OUR ENVIRONMENT

Because local independent businesses get more of the things they need from other local businesses, they use less fuel for transportation, less packaging, etc.

TO SUSTAIN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Spending locally instead of on-line insures that your sales taxes are re-invested where they belong – right here in your community – supporting everything from schools to parks to police to fixing potholes.

TO HAVE AN ENJOY-A-BULL TIME

Put it all together, and it’s just feels a lot better to shop at independent, locally-owned businesses...

More... http://www.sustainabull.net

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Shop Durham the goal
By Sue Stock, N&O, 26 Nov 2010

Just in time for Black Friday weekend, there's a movement afoot to try to promote local businesses in Durham.

Independent Durham is a new organization aimed at promoting the importance of shopping at locally owned businesses.

With the clever slogan "Sustain-a-Bull! Shop Independent Durham," the group is starting with a Shop Independent Durham Week next week.

"The numbers are that if you spend $100 at a chain store, $13 stays in our area," said Tom Campbell, founder of the group and co-owner of the Regulator Bookshop on Ninth Street. "But if you spend that $100 at a locally owned independent business, $45 stays here."

Member businesses will offer special discounts, many of which are listed on the Sustain-a-Bull! website, www.sustainabull.net. That site lists member businesses and gives a little more background on the organization and its efforts....

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/11/26/826607/shop-durham-the-goal.html

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