Think about which three independently owned businesses you’d miss most if they were gone. Stop in and say hello. Do a little shopping. Your purchases are what keep those businesses around.

If just half the employed U.S. population spent $50 each month in independently owned businesses, their purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.* Imagine the positive impact that would have on our economy.

For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

The number of people it takes to start the trend is one… you.

*Employment statistics courtesy U.S. Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2/6/2009