by Elizabeth Cusulas
Details In Retail

Main Street America….
Time was, you lived in a town or city and you shopped where you lived.  You knew the shops, markets and restaurants, you knew the owners.  Now there’s a growing movement to reclaim our economic heritage.  We’ve done global.  Now more and more U.S. consumers are thinking local. 

After decades of newer, shinier, bigger (so big your town won’t hold it) shopping venues, we’re heading home.  Back to goods made in our country and our state, back to locally grown food, back to neighborhood merchants.  Our zeal for more, more, more has given us less, less, less.  We’re ready for a change. 

In your community…

Minneapolis retailer & consultant Cindy Baxter launched her now-famous 3/50 Project at the end of March 2009.  She asked people to make a conscious decision to shop local merchants.  She made a simple challenge - pick 3 businesses you’d hate to lose from your community and spend $50 a month (total) at these 3 businesses.  According to her figures, if half of the employed population did that, it would generate 42.6 BILLION in revenue.  The genius of her idea is the simplicity.  She’s not asking you to change everything; just make a commitment to 3 local vendors and shop with them on a regular basis.  The response to the 3/50 Project has been enormous. 

In your state…

The stakes are particularly high here in Michigan.  Buy Michigan Now, launched by Lisa Diggs in 2007,  is spreading the word about supporting the local economy – one purchase at a time – with this simple encouragement: “Think Michigan First! If the quality, availability, and price meet with your needs, spend your money within our state”.

Everyone is working to make it an easy option.  Markets are labeling Michigan products and produce.  When I shop my local farmers market every weekend, I get a smile and “thanks for buying local” along with my change.  Again, these are small changes but if enough people make small changes, the rewards are massive.

“When $1 is spent locally, that $1 impacts three to seven different local businesses before leaving the local economy.”  Don Koivisto, Michigan Department of Agriculture Director

In your country…

Paul Bensman, founder of Details in Retail, has developed a concept to promote “Made In USA” products.  Coming soon to Northville, Michigan, Made Buy USA Shops will offer US manufacturers a way to showcase their products and help people find easy ways to keep their dollars closer to home.  

Small steps…

That’s the key.  Make it easy, make it fun and don’t ask for radical changes.  These grass roots movements give consumers the information they need and a few simple actions to take.  Those small steps will mean a lot to all of us.

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