Local Flavor - The Beginning

First - Google reader (RRS) feed didn't post my last post.  Please check it out!  Unwanted Input

Ok, now onto today...

Those of you who have been here since the beginning (when I hardly posted) remember that this started out as a "buy local" blog to track the local spending of my wedding. Hey, thanks for sticking around!  However, I haven't figured out how one blogs about planning a wedding while making the all the teenie tiny decisions, working a second job to pay for all the teenie tiny decisions and maintaining a relationship so that there is a marriage at the end of the event.  So the blog fell away at the time, but it's back and now will, at times, focus on the "Local Flavor" that makes this life in a small city so great. 

There are so many hard working business people in this city.  They are talented, they are passionate, and they are dedicated.  They are a dying breed. A local Pizzeria and Restaurant that is a cornerstone of our community is closing in May due to bankruptcy.  There is not a single person who grew up here that hasn't eaten there once.  There isn't a single community organization that has asked for help that didn't receive it in abundance from this establishment.  As the date gets closer, I'll talk more about it.

Money spent locally expands locally.  Every $1 spent locally gets re-spent 5 to 15 times.  Another way to look at it:  spend $1 at a national chain and 80% of it immediately leaves the area.  Spend that same $1 locally, and 70% of of it STAYS in the community.   If we want to save our cities, we have to spend our money in them, not outside of them.  In the DQ household, we do it as much as we can.  Could we do it more?  Sure.  Everyday we work to improve it.  Source: Choose Local

It's time to put our money were our mouths are. Look for these logos on blog posts for some local flavor.  If you live nearby, come shop here.  If you don't, find your own Local Flavor and show it some love by spending your money.  Strong economies start at home.