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Shop-local group offers economic impact figures
By Times Staff Writer
Published November 14, 2005
If consumers in Hillsborough County limited their spending on one Saturday to independent, locally owned businesses instead of chain stores, more than $17-million would remain in the local economy instead of being shipped to outside corporations as overnight deposits.
So say representatives of the Tampa Independent Business Alliance, who base their calculation on studies made by the American Independent Business Alliance, adjusted to Hillsborough's sales tax revenues for a typical Saturday.
The national study found that since locally owned businesses use goods and services of other businesses in the community, a consumer's spending circulates 3 to 31/2 times longer locally than if it is spent at a chain.
On Saturday, the local group will be working with the national organization and more than 25 other communities across the country to broadcast the benefits of the shop-local movement. The educational event, "American Unchained," will be promoted at independent businesses such as Inkwood Books in Tampa.
"We want people to think about where their dollars actually end up," said Carla Jimenez, co-owner of Inkwood and president of Tampa Independent Business Alliance.
It is the second year for the event.
[Last modified November 10, 2005, 21:54:03]
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