The only way out of this impending economic crisis is to rally local and demonstrate our support local ideals rather than succumb to convenience while tweeting the opposite. The forward motion of our newly revived urban environments (from New Bedford Massachusetts to Brenham, Texas to San Rafael, California) is at a crossroads. The key elements of their success—small businesses—are being decimated by the double whammy of now. The fevered pitch pace of online commerce adoption as well as the sudden shock of having all potential local shopping eliminated due to the pandemic. Local business districts in wealthy suburbs to struggling small cities and town that were on the brink of success are all faced with a similar predicament. However, that which makes them vulnerable, could also be the place of opportunity as our entire economy–where we live and work-is being redistributed.
All of these districts represent the core of our communities and the opportunity to better reinforce our local economic resilience, a spirit of co-investment, and all deserve increased support to do so. But this (the neighborhoods/districts) won’t be solved with government support, even if there is more support available to businesses individually. Despite best intention, the blunt-force immediate panaceas of small grants and loans to stop the bleeding are not going to be enough, and they will be no help against the next chapter. Each of these small business districts have a variety of local actors—from merchant associations to small community banks—but with decreasing resources and increased anxiety about the future, these organizations are also struggling, and may be in peril.
The solution starts with local demand, and the individual actions of all of us working together to provide a collective future. It is literally mission critical to rebuild habits that we have lost through innocent choices made for price and convenience, and adjust our personal habits for the greater good. We have done this before–We have learned to recycle, wear seatbelts, and put dogs on leashes (most of the time). We have learned to reduce smoking in public places, choose healthier food options and buy organic, and now wear masks.
Now is the time to rally, and REALLY RALLY shop local in a way that will be meaningful to small business, and our local economies whose very existence is in peril. The key to recovery is rebuilding ‘demand’ locally to be relevant and sustaining to the small businesses in a local area, and rebuilding the demand to supply relationship that will build visible momentum in a tangible way. It is about assuring ‘recurring’ revenue to stores and restaurants so they can see into the future and count on a runway and it is about being more direct about household needs so that local businesses have a shot at meeting those needs.
Here are three things you can do for your local businesses, and most importantly work with neighborhood and other social groups in your area to spread the word.
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2–#Rallyshop: instead of one-time gift certificates from restaurants and stores, purchase a recurring gift certificate such that you purchase once a month—or even better set up an account with the store to purchase certain goods on a recurring basis. Monthly bulbs and batteries at the hardware store, bi-weekly seasonal flowers at the flower shop (for you or gifts), and weekly deliveries of coffee beans from the local coffee shop.
3–#Rallyplate: Set up a ‘meal plan’ with restaurant(s) in your area to request a variety of dishes (or even request ‘chef’s choice’ at a certain price point), on a month to month tenure—instead of a ‘Meal Kit in a Box’ service, design your monthly delivery plan with the restaurant around the corner. Restaurants are reinventing themselves daily, and are finding clever ways to increase their recurring revenues.
Finally, in the minute that you are about to take out your phone and one-click a recurring purchase on amazon, #Rallychoose about whether or not your dollars could be spent locally—rather than supporting a distribution center and corporate headquarters hundreds of miles from your downtown with shuttered windows.
Most importantly, share these strategies with your neighbors, and find a way to create ‘Rallyshoplocal’ initiatives together. Working collectively, and intentionally, we can create the economic recovery fastest.