Supporting locally owned, independent businesses keeps more of your money in your community. When you spend $1 at a local independent store, an average of 68 cents is recirculated into the local economy. In contrast, when you spend $1 at a national chain store, only about 43 cents stays at home. If Twin Cities consumers shift even 10% of their spending from chains to locals for one day, the Twin Cities economy gains some $2 million.

Source: Andersonville Study of Retail Economics, by Civic Economics, October 2004 and MN Dept. of Revenue, Gross Retail Sales for 2003.