Buying Local Matters All Year
Local Season Doesn’t End. It Becomes a Habit
Our Local Season campaign is coming to an end. You shared your Local Season moments, helped spread our message online, and supported local businesses across the community. Some of you hung posters in your windows, let us feature you in our content, or sponsored the campaign, and many of you simply made the choice to eat, shop, and explore locally.
To everyone who engaged with the campaign, thank you. Also huge thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Kennebec Savings Bank. Your support helps keep Portland Maine’s small businesses visible, celebrated, and thriving. But the importance of supporting local businesses doesn’t end here.
Yes, winter is the most challenging time of year. When foot traffic drops, our local shops, restaurants, and service providers rely heavily on the support of the people who live here. Loyal local customers can make the difference between a business staying open or closing its doors. But even when the tourists return, locals are still the lifeline that keeps our businesses going year round.
Your Choices Have a Real Impact
Choosing a locally owned business does more than support a single shop or restaurant, it strengthens the entire local economy. Research shows that independent retailers return about 53% of their revenue back into the local economy, more than three times the 14% returned by national chains. Local restaurants recirculate even more. 64% of their revenue circulated locally compared to 30% for chain restaurants.
Local businesses also help create healthier communities. They support local jobs, generate more tax revenue that supports public services, and help build vibrant neighborhoods where people walk more and drive less. Communities with more local businesses saw 26% less automobile travel, contributing to a lower carbon footprint.
In short, where we choose to spend your money helps shape the Portland you want to live in. Download and share this infographic for more buy local stats.
Choose Local First in every season
Portland’s small businesses are the heart of this city. They are the cafés where we meet friends, the bookstores where we discover new ideas, the restaurants that bring our neighborhoods together, and the shops that make Portland unique. So as the campaign comes to a close, we invite everyone to make a simple commitment: Choose local first. Not just during Local Season, but all year long.
If you’d like to volunteer on future campaigns and help us keep Portland Buy Local going, send us an email at info@portlandbuylocal.org.
Be well and Buy Local!
The Portland Buy Local Board of Directors
