The Canonical Nomad: February 2008

So, we've had unbelievable amount of hits on the last blog in two days and I'm getting a lot of great questions in my in-box. Here is a recent email that I wrote in response that sums SOME of buying local up:

"Thanks for taking the time to reply and for your further investing in the discussion about what is meant by "Buy Local". There is a lot of buzz in Jackson right now- to be sure. It is an exciting time for small business as we are ushering in a resurgence of focusing money and effort in the communities we actually live in. I know that you and I have spoken briefly before about franchising and small business and I have several dear friends who own franchises in town so there are many considerations for all of us in this [or any] economy.

I am not the decision maker for local business in Jackson so my opinions are simply that but I have been privileged to attend and participate in many conferences, discussions with heads of successful Buy Locals from all over the nation, as well as attend many independent industry and Michigan business functions in recent years. At all of these, lead economic minds have presented on Buy Local issues with increasing fervor and all the while I've been reading (imagine that!) and researching "buying local" on my own. Shoot, we have a wall of books dedicated to the topic, all written in the past 5-10 years.

While each community is different in their approach, the leading Buy Local organizations have very clear guidelines by which they suggest membership be considered- with very good reasoning behind each guideline. Please visit a couple websites for more on this:

http://www.amiba.net

http://www.livingeconomies.org/

One of the basic premises of any Buy Local campaign is to give strength and education to businesses who do not have the marketing, networking, buying, or training resources that chains and franchises do. It is also for indies who find that other established organizations (The Chamber, DDAs, City Council, zoning committees, etc.) are not addressing the needs specific to the uniqueness of creating and running an independent business in what has been a very unfriendly climate for us in recent decades.

When we opened Nomad in 2005, my husband and I opened with no assistance from anyone else (except the sweat and love of friends). There was no model, no training, no logo, no previous branding or representation for what we were creating specifically for Jackson to call their own. There was no corporate structure for us to tap into at all nor was there a buying structure or vendors lined up for us to work with. Our efforts have been completely independent of any overseeing company or advisers. We have faced a very different and difficult set of challenges than franchises or chains do. However, in our struggles, we proudly lay claim to a freedom from corporate stipulations on our operations (ex: Beaners is now Bigbby) and from sending our money outside of Jackson to any other entity- something that one of my franchise-owing friend loathes.

The biggest issue I see is that we eventually get to the question: What about Wendy's? What if McDonald's or Subway or Schlotzsky's Deli or Jimmy John's or Domino's wants to be included in the Buy Local? What if Gap or The Limited or Starbucks put a storefront in downtown, aren't they then considered local? You see, it then defeats the purpose of organizing any structure for the businesses without the corporate model, branding, marketing, name recognition and so on. It is indeed a difficult line to draw but necessary at the start. The Chamber and DDA are organizations that oversee ALL business, not just the locally grown ones. Buy Local generally encourages people to commit a percentage of their spending to the little guy who struggles each month to find a way to create their business unique to the town they are in. This isn't just retail. It's services, contractors, local farmers, not for profits, education, art/culture, etc. "Buy Local" ensures that our town doesn't look like the next town over or the next town down the 94 or 127 corridor but stands out as a unique place to be and come to...None of the talk of buy local should be discouraging to you- it is an effort to further make Jackson unique, stronger, exciting and appealing to its citizens and visitors."

Five years ago, I was a stay at home mom with three small kids. I shopped for groceries one day a week at a major retailer and planned meals a week in advance- based on their sales. I bought in bulk. I was a brand-name coupon clipper, an ad browser, a sale hound purchasing my kids clothing from big label clearance racks with a coupon in my hand. If they wouldn't give me the two discounts together, I probably wasn't going to buy it. I believed that if I paid full price for everyday products or household goods, I was getting ripped off. And books. Well, I love bookstores but couldn't imagine why they weren't matching Amazon's prices- I was certain someone was getting rich. Once the free shipping started, Amazon was my go-to unless I was already in an indie book store and they had a frequent buyer program I could sign up for.

I was raised by a single mom and I watched her pull off miracles to make sure we never went without. That thrifty shopper and shrewd consumer was born early in my childhood and I'll be the first to say that is hard to pay full price still...but I realized that I was complaining about "nothing in Jackson" and simultaneously guilty of not supporting anything but national companies that offered no uniqueness here. This began my slow reformation.

While my husband was appreciative of my resourcefulness, he would often say with a smile, "Well, you usually get what you pay for...". I was incensed that he would pay full retail for his work boots at Genco's or Miller's in downtown when he would spend his days walking in wet, muddy conditions completely trashing them. Week after week those boots would stand up and work harder than three cheaper or "on sale" pairs from "big" stores and I came to see that he was saving us time and money.

A couple other events happened in the past five years that made me sit up and realize that where I spend my money really matters. 1) A group of great friends began to move out of town for more "cultured" areas in the country. One had the audacity to name his band "Kicking Jackson" after his exit (and still plays under that name). I was a bit offended that someone's opinion of Jackson was that low. 2) I met a local farmer who changed my view on where food is grown and what being sustainable really means. 3) Nomad opened in downtown and gave me an understanding of what a tax base is from the other side of the counter- Not to mention a new understanding of "low prices".

Below you will find just a couple of considerations...More in-depth resources will be listed below for you, if you're a skeptic like me. BTW, my husband still buys his boots downtown and continues to get what he pays for. I'm a believer.

Top Ten reasons to Think & Buy Local First-

Buy Local -- Support yourself: Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, rather than a nationally owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms -- continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.(Click here to see summaries of a variety of economic impact studies; these include case studies showing that locally-owned businesses generate a premium in enhanced economic impact to the community and our tax base.)
Support community groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.
Keep our community unique. Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this place. Our tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation Trust
Reduce environmental impact: Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
Create more good jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
Invest in community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.
Put your taxes to good use: Local businesses in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.
Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.
Encourage local prosperity: A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.