Shop Local: The 3/50 Project

LIZ EMMETT-MATTOX
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What independently-owned business would you miss if it disappeared? Would you miss grabbing a cup of coffee at one of the two coffee shops in town? Would you miss being able to buy groceries without a trip into Longmont or Boulder? Would you miss the hairdresser who knows just how you like your hair cut? Would you miss the free local paper that comes to your home once a month?

Almost everyone would agree that one of the things that gives Niwot its unique character is that instead of big boxes or several national franchises occupying the commercial space in town, we have a collection of local, independently owned shops, restaurants and service providers.

Walking into a shop where the person behind the register knows your name is a very different experience compared to shopping at a big box store. This is true whether you’re buying clothes, dog food or insurance. But the appeal of independent businesses goes beyond the personal attention they offer.

National chain stores are known for selling the same merchandise at stores from coast to coast. Even if you never step foot into some of the shops in Niwot, having a diverse mix of retail options contributes to both the charm and the economic stability of the community.
 
Some of these shops have been here for so long, residents might be tempted to take them for granted. On the other hand, it’s no secret that retail establishments have taken a hit in the current economic climate. One look at the empty storefronts on Second Avenue tells the tale.

The Niwot business community is certainly taking a look at what might be done to revitalize the commercial economy in Niwot, but residents themselves can make a big difference as well by simply shopping local.

As Laura Skaggs, who worked on the Main Street Initiative with the National Trust for Historic Preservation put it, “If you want to have a place to shop locally, if you want to be able to show off the cute shops in your town, you have to support them. We vote with our dollars, and we’re either voting for our communities or not.”

For most of us, buying exclusively from local, independently owned businesses is like eating exclusively organic. It might be a nice ideal to strive for, but is not something we can  easily do in our real lives.

But it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing when it comes to shopping locally. Small steps can have a big impact. This is the idea behind the 3/50 project created by Cynda Baxter, a retail store owner turned consultant.

Baxter suggests that each person visit three locally owned businesses and support them by spending $50 each month. Not $50 in each place, but $50 each month. The idea is not to increase overall spending, but to target it towards independent businesses. So when you want a cup of coffee, head for the neighborhood coffee shop instead of the nearest Starbucks.

According to the 3/50 Project website, for every $100 spent in an independently owned business, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. Spend that same amount at a national chain, and only $43 stays in the local community. Online purchases return nothing to the local community.

The Courier will be conducting its own experiment in shopping local. For the next month, Courier staffers will keep track of where we spend our local shopping dollars. Will we manage the 3/50 goal? Watch for next month’s article to see how we did it. Where could you spend $50 this month to support a local, independent business?

For more information on the 3/50 Project see www.the350project.net.