Is this the time to shop?

The situation out there with the economy is scary, and we're all following the markets and our 401ks. The job market is grim. If you're out looking for a job, the prospects aren't all that promising, the wages and benefits not that great. And if you have a job, you might be seeing coworkers get laid off, and might be worrying about what might happen to you.

So at a time like this, it might seem weird to even think about shopping. We understand, of course. For many of us, this isn't a time for frivolous spending.

But a time like this also means it's even more important for us all to stick together and support each other. We're not asking you to run up credit cards or go on a shopping spree. We just want you to consider, before you shop, where your money is going. Money spent locally is more likely to stay locally.

"Study after study confirms that local stores and restaurants generate more than three times the local economic activity of remote controlled national chains," Tampa Independent Business Alliance writes in its Web site, tibatampa.org.
"The "multiplier effect" of taxes collected from such local expenditures bringing up to five times the revenue, while up to 80% of money spent in national chains leaves town in the night deposit. On a typical November shopping day, if all taxable purchases in Hillsborough County were made at locally owned independent businesses instead of national chains, it would make a $39 million dollar difference to the local economy. Locally owned independents circulate the money right here, for local goods and services from banking and health care to printing and cabinetmaking, while taxes support our schools, parks, law enforcement and more."

Yesterday we were at the Tuesday market in Gulfport, and were happy to see the community helping each other, shopping from each other. Someone told us, "No one is really making any money here. We're just circulating the same money back and forth."

And that, at times like this, might not be such an awful thing.

It's your money, your decision, of course. We're not here to preach. We just want to give you the options, and make it easier for you to find an independent shop, if you'd like to support one.

We welcome your feedback, and hope to see you around town.

-- Ester Venouziou
www.localshops1.com