SYRACUSE -- This shopping season, leaders in Onondaga County encourage shoppers to buy local, and shift their retail focus from transitive to transformational. SyracuseFirst, CenterStateCEO, Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse announced Thursday that November 2012 is "Buy Local Month."
Kevin Schwab of CenterState CEO says "Buy Local Month" is an extension of the former week-long campaign.
Throughout November, SyracuseFirst and CenterStateCEO plans to increase awareness about the economic impacts of buying local. They plan to use "Buy Local Month" as a showcase for independent, local businesses that help make Central New York unique.
"You don't need to go any other place. Here, you can find unique, and interesting gifts and gifts that really have the soul of Syracuse and Central New York," Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner said.
The highlight of "Buy Local Month" will be the third-annual Buy Local Bash on Monday, November 19 at the CNY Regional Market.
Schwab says the National Retail Federation predicts that Americans will spend about $700 each on holiday shopping from November 1 through the end of the year. Studies show that if some that money is shifted to local businesses, two or three times as much economic activity will be generated locally than if it was spent exclusively at national business.
Schwab says that in Onondaga County, that even a 10% shift to local spending could mean nearly $130 million annually in new economic activity.
Chris Fowler, Executive Director of SyracuseFirst told CNY Central that, "What we're asking people to do is think about shifting one in ten decisions that are commercial, to locally owned independent businesses. We can have a cumulative affect of $130 million dollars in economic activity, create 12 hundred jobs, and $24 million tax impact."
"Local businesses are a key part of what makes Onondaga County a great place to live," said County Executive Joanie Mahoney in a media release. "Buying local helps boost our economy and supports our sustainability as a community."
More information is available at www.syracusefirst.org.
