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Shop Local: National Independent Retailers Week is Now
The Last Bookstore in DTLA (Photo by Joits via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
The Last Bookstore in DTLA (Photo by Joits via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Where you buy your fruit and veggies, books, albums, and t-shirts--really, where you buy anything--makes a huge difference in the economy. We vote with our wallets everyday, but because of our global culture and the era of convenience, we tend to spend without pausing to think where our dollars go, and what it means to how things work where we call home.
To that end, July 18-24 happens to be National Independent Retailers week. Sure, it's another random designation on the calendar among many (it shares the week with "Restless Leg Syndrome Education & Awareness" and "Captive Nations") but this is one in which everyone can participate, and create positive change in your neighborhood and city.
Money that is spent in a locally owned business stays in the local community much longer. Why? Because the local business owner purchases more of their supplies, equipment, and inventory from other area businesses. As compared to a mass merchant, you are apt to find that the manager, assistant manager, and staff of a locally owned business are all long time residents of a community. That, as compared to being individuals that 'corporate' has sent into a community.
The easiest way to celebrate: Shop local. We've shone the spotlight on several local indie retailers we love in our LAist Goes Shopping series, and created a guide to indie music stores. Consider hitting up a farmers' market for produce, dining out at non-chain restaurant, and swapping your Starbucks for a locally-owned coffeehouse.
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Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
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