TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — "Love You Local" connects shoppers with local businesses to keep money and community services from slipping away amid staffing and spending pressures.
- About $0.67 of every dollar spent at locally owned businesses stays in the community, fueling jobs and local investment.
- A tight labor market and staffing shortages are a top concern for small-business survival.
- Watch the video to see how reduced sales threaten nonprofits supported by thrift-store proceeds.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For shops like these, every item that leaves the shelf is more than just a sale; it's another dollar that stays right here in Tallahassee.
I'm Lyric Sloan in Northeast Tallahassee, with how a local campaign is working to shed a much-needed light on local businesses.
"Love your local" spotlights independently owned businesses and makes it easy for shoppers to find them, keeping more money circulating in our community.
"It's important that the community knows that these businesses are locally owned, which means that for every $1 spent with these establishments, $0.67 stays here locally," Keith Bowers, Office of Economic Vitality Director, said.
Many local shops are closing after reporting severe staffing shortages.
The Office of Economic Vitality says the tight labor market is a major factor.
"The information we have, a lot of it points to a tight labor market. Unemployment is starting to creep up, but it's just hard to find labor these days," Bowers said.
Right off Capital Circle Northeast is one of those stores that could be at risk.
Community thrift market relies on local shoppers to keep its stores open.
Manager Karen Loewen says this year has been tough.
"I think this year has been challenging for us because there are a lot of people out there who are afraid to spend money because the economy is just so unpredictable. We're able to pay our bills. We're not as able to give as much money away as we normally do every year," Loewen said.
Without steady local spending, small shops can't reinvest or hire, which is why shopping local matters.
"Small business owners have invested a lot of time, energy, and money into setting up shops and establishments here in Tallahassee. So the way we can show that our support is to spend our dollars with them to make sure that they are surviving and thriving," Bowers said.
And so the community thrift market can help the community survive and thrive through its sales.
"Most of it is divided out between about 25 different nonprofits here in town. So if you shop with us, we're able to help people. We fill 27 food pantries weekly from the funds of this store. We help educational organizations. And if you're not shopping with us, we can't do that," Loewen said.
Since launching in 2018 with about 75 businesses, "Love your Local" has grown to roughly 650 participants.
Bowers says the goal is to increase that number by 20% by 2026.
If you have a small business that is locally owned and operated, and you want to be a part of the campaign, you can visit the Office of Economic Vitality website.
In Northeast Tallahassee, Lyric, Sloan, ABC 27
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