It’s July 4th– a time to celebrate our Independence, and there’s no better place to celebrate America’s birthday than in America’s birthplace– our home city of Philadelphia!  What’s the best way to celebrate, you ask?  We suggest you celebrate Independence supporting Independents!

July is actually Independent Retailer Month, and while we’re thrilled there are like-minded people and businesses out there helping to promote the importance of shopping small, independently owned businesses during July, we say one month is not enough (though it’s definitely an improvement over that ONE SATURDAY in December!).  So, we’re suggesting that everyone should make a plan to ensure you support independent businesses all year long!

Customers frequently email us asking why our closing statement in our service correspondence always says, “As always, we thank you for your support of independent retail.”  The answer is simple- the benefits of buying from independent retailers is undeniable, but communicating that message to the masses is complicated.  It’s a message that involves economics, job creation, infrastructure investment, and, yes, the dreaded subject of politics, just to name a few!

You see, Independents are the backbone of our communities.  Period.  According to the Small Business Administration, while BIG businesses have been hard at work eliminating American jobs (an estimated 4  million since 1990), small businesses have added 8 million jobs in our country in the same time frame.  And, when it comes to independent retail, specifically, a 2018 study showed that independent retailers reinvest 130% more of their revenues locally than the big box chain retailers, and 676% more than Amazon!  Yes, that’s right, giving all your hard-earned money to Amazon is bad for you and your community!  In fact, for every $10 million consumers spend on Amazon, about 14 jobs are created in some place the GIANT retailer actually operates a physical presence.  If consumers spent the same $10 million at Independents, 57 jobs would be created in those local communities!

The reach extends far beyond just jobs.  The lack of adequate funding for things like childhood education, mental health & wellness, and local roads & infrastructure in our communities is due, in part, to consumer overreliance on big box chain retailers.  A 2012 study by Civic Economics showed independent retail returns nearly 50% of all revenue to the local economy while chain retail returns less than 15% within local markets.  In most communities, a single dollar spent at an independent retailer will be spent 6 to 15 times within the community before it leaves.  So, $1 creates $5 to $14 of value in the immediate area- that’s HUGE!  If every family in the U.S. spent an extra $10 a month at a locally owned, independent business instead of a national chain, it would return nearly $10 billion directly to our local economies.

This isn’t a new phenomenon.  In fact, following the move of our own independent retail business online back in 2010 (more than a decade ago), we attempted to shine a light on the importance of finding a way for Independent Retailers to compete on our About Us page (in signature PHAG style, of course).  Now, it’s 2021 and we’re still at it…

Will you join us is spreading the word?  This Independence Day, please encourage anyone who will listen to Support Independents!