Article Contributed on: 11/13/2008 2:58:16 PM
Denver shoppers are being urged to spend their dollars here at home as part of a campaign to help invest in the local economy.
The Mile High Business Alliance, a nonprofit organization made of locally owned businesses, is ramping up awareness of Buy Local Week as residents prepare for the Christmas season. Organizers will emphasize the importance of shopping locally during Buy Local Week, which will be held Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, said
Mickki Langston, executive director of the Mile High Business Alliance.
"It's important to pay attention to where we spend our dollars because the money we spend is an investment in our communities, our neighbors and our companies," Langston said. "Especially now, given what's happening with the economy, buying local is vital to the community."
According to the Mile High Business Alliance, money spent locally tends to circulate in the local economy longer because small businesses often purchase good from other small businesses, service providers and farms, Langston said. Dollars that are spent at bigger national outlets tend to leave the local economy quicker, she added.
Robin Lohre, owner of Talulah Jones, 1122 E. 17th Ave., is hoping the campaign pays off for her and other small business owners in the city. Her small store in uptown Denver, which offers a variety of children's toys and decorations, sells goods made from local artisans.
"This store and other stores like this are one of the things that make Denver unique and beautiful," Lohre said. "You're voting with your dollars in that sense."
This is the second year the Alliance has touted Buy Local Week. Last year, the campaign was largely led with the support of Mayor
John Hickenlooper, who worked as a small business owner before seeking political office.
This year, organizers plan a larger public awareness effort through ads in local newspapers and RTD buses. They've also made it easier for shoppers to find local businesses in their area with the creation of so-called local flavor guides.
The guides, which are distributed at local shops and restaurants, provide listings for six areas of town, including East Colfax, Historic Uptown, Old South Gaylord, Old South Pearl, Santa Fe Arts District and South Broadway. Printable versions of the guides also are available at
www.localflavorguides.com.
"The guides make it easier for people to really connect with local businesses before they make that trip out to the malls," Langston said.