Why Supporting Independent Retailers Matters: Celebrating Small Business Week and Building Stronger Communities

In honor of Small Business Week, I'd like to put together some thoughts on why Main Street matter. I started the nonprofit organization Heart on Main Street because small businesses and independent retailers are an underappreciated and overlooked aspect of our society. We can build stronger communities by supporting our local businesses. In the months since the launch of Heart on Main Street, I have been asked, "What is an independent retailer, and how are they different from any other retailer where I might shop?" This question lies at the heart of our mission.

Independent retail stores are owned by people in your community or within a nearby neighborhood. While they may have multiple locations, they are not associated with a larger corporate or national chain or franchisees. They are locally owned and operated, and their primary purpose is serving the local community. Every decision the retailer makes directly impacts the store; there is no safety net of corporate guidance to determine which action will most likely lead to tremendous success.

Instead, independent retailers trust their gut, instincts, and experience to decide which choices are best for their store, customers, and community. And around them, a community's local economy sees success or experiences challenges.

Independent retailers differ from other retailers in their impact on their communities. The independent retailer is a true driver of the local economy. Spending your money at locally-owned stores helps feed the community ecosystem. Independent retailers hire local people to work in their stores, buy from local artisans who make products, and hire other local businesses for services. Almost 50% of the money spent at a local independent retailer goes back to the community through wages, taxes, or other means.

In comparison, that number is about 13% when your money is spent at a large national retailer or an online retailer. Independent retailers also sponsor local youth sports, community giveback programs, the local 5K race, parades, and many other things within the community. While they are businesses, often, their main goal is to be involved in the community, not necessarily make a profit from it.

As we celebrate Small Business Week this week, visit your local retailers and thank them for their involvement in your community.