LOCAL ADVOKIT
Purchasing local products and services builds a sustainable Local Living Economy. A Local Living Economy ensures that economic power resides locally, sustaining healthy community life and natural life as well as long-term economic viability.
When you support your Locally Owned & Independent Businesses you help...
1. Keep dollars in our economy
For every $100 you spend at one of our local businesses, $68 will stay in the community. What happens when you spend that same $100 at a national chain: only $43 stays in the community.
2. Embrace what makes us unique
You wouldn't want your house to look like everyone else's in the U.S. so why would you want your community to look that way?
3. Create local jobs
Local businesses are better at creating higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.
4. Help the environment
Buying from a local business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation, less packaging, and products that you know are safe and well made, becuase we stand behind them.
5. Nurture community
We know you, and you know us. Studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.
6. Conserve you tax dollars
Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money available to beautify our community.
7. Create more choice
We pick the items and products we sell based on what we know you like and want. Local businesses carry a wider array of unique products because we buy for our own individual market
8. Take advantage of our expertise
You are our firends and neighbors, and we have a vested interest in knowing how to serve you. We're passionate about what we do. Why not take advantage of it?
9. Invest in entrepreneurship
Creativity and entrepreneurship are what the American economy is founded upon. Nurturing local business ensures a strong community.
10. Make us a destination
The more interesting and unique we are a a community, the more we will attract new neighbors, visitors and guests. This benefits everyone!
What we mean by "local" and "independent"
Locally owned:
- The business is privately held (not publicly traded).
- The business is located within our 24 Seacoast Local towns.
- The owner of majority of owners are local residents who live within a 25 mile radius of Portsmouth more than half the year.
- The business is registered in New Hampshire or Maine with no corporate headquarters elsewhere.
Independent:
- Your organization makes independent decisions regarding the name and look of the business, as well as all business purchasing, practices and distribution decisions.
- Your business pays all of its own marketing, rent, and other business expenses without assistance from or payment to a corporate headquarters.
- If your business has multiple outlets, the majority are located within Maine and New Hampshire.
