Ewe & I in downtown Chehalis.
Cascade Hardwoods in Chehalis.
Willapa Hills Cheese in Chehalis.
Heymann Whinery in Chehalis.
Experience Chehalis
Dirty Man Soap Co. in Chehalis.
National Frozen Foods Corporation in Chehalis.
Nowadays, we have the luxury of buying goods from across the globe. Being a part of this global economy, however, comes at a price—local businesses.
Communities like Chehalis are built on local businesses, and when the community buys at chain stores or online, less money gets put back into the community. In fact, independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales than chain competitors, according to the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA).
Buying local is a great way to both invest in your community and yourself. The Port of Chehalis “Made in Chehalis” campaign is one of many programs dedicated to helping people buy local and learn what their community has to offer.
Here are 4 reasons why buying local is incredibly beneficial to your community:
“The net worth of the local economy increases when we send goods and services out of the community in exchange for money brought into the community,” says Randy Mueller, CEO of the Port of Chehalis. The net worth of a community also increases when we buy goods or services from inside of the community. Each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns 3 times more money to your local economy than spending that dollar at a retail chain. In fact, in a study conducted by AMIBA, 48 percent of each purchase at local independent businesses was recirculated locally. It’s called the “multiplier effect” — simply put, putting dollars into local businesses also puts dollars into your community.
Buying local increases local wealth, which enables local businesses to hire and create more opportunities for people in the community. “Most of the jobs in the community are small independent businesses. These people belong to our community, have children in our schools, and volunteer locally,” says Mueller. “The chance to keep those folks in business and help them prosper is directly reflected in how we as a community fare.” Buying local helps set up your community for current opportunities, but also provides future opportunities for everyone.
Buying local helps reduce your carbon footprint and your environmental impact. Think about it; ordering online involves shipping materials, warehousing, trucking, and delivery, all of which have a large impact on carbon emissions at scale. However, buying local both encourages buying local products that are fresh and also creates less traffic and pollution to get to you.
Think about the last time you talked to your neighbor. Was it at a yard sale? At the supermarket? Maybe online? With all these avenues to connect with one another today, it is easy to forget how easy it is to bond with your community. Buying local helps bring together the community by building relationships with local businesses and also those around you that shop there.
The Port of Chehalis is a public port district whose mission is to grow and diversify the local economy, and to foster high quality job creation. The Made in Chehalis campaign aims to let the public know what is made here so they can buy local and benefit the community. Check out more about the Made in Chehalis campaign at https://www.facebook.com/portofchehalis/, or call them at 360-748-9365.
