“Local businesses come in all shapes and sizes, but national chains only come in one: big square boxes. While these big boxes take up valuable space in the community, the buy local movement celebrates the diverse local businesses that really work in and for the community.

With their boxy infrastructure and never-ending sprawl, national chains threaten the wellbeing of individual communities. They create cookie-cutter shopping centers and diminish the local character of otherwise unique cities and towns. This discourages tourism and the lucrative business that comes with it. These companies leave carbon footprints as big as their stores, and they funnel profits to a far-away corporate headquarters, never to be seen again by the hardworking consumers of the community.

As small business owners, you know these issues, and you feel the harmful impacts of chain stores more than most. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: the buy local movement. The buy local movement promotes the idea that small businesses help create better communities and stronger local economies. According to Civic Economics and the American Booksellers Association, small businesses return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the community than national chains. They’ve created 65 percent of all net new jobs over the past 17 years, according to the Small Business Administration, giving paychecks and benefits to millions of local workers in the communities where they live.

The buy local movement was created to help these small independent businesses compete against the fast-growing national chains that dominate the market. Through business alliances, local chambers of commerce, and community events, the movement encourages consumers to support locally owned, independent businesses because of the unique and rewarding benefits they have to offer. Ultimately, it teaches consumers to think outside of the big box.

Buy local campaigns support individual businesses by providing informational resources and spreading the word about a community’s small businesses. This support goes a long way toward expanding customer reach and generating positive buzz about local businesses. According to the 2014 Independent Business Survey by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and the Advocates for Independent Business, independent businesses in communities with an active buy local campaign experienced revenue growth of 7 percent on average in 2013, compared to just 2.3 percent for independent businesses in places without such an initiative.

What’s more, support for the buy local movement grows every day. Small Business advocacy groups like Independent We Stand provide marketing resources and tools for small business owners, while brands like STIHL and Devoe Paint bypass chain stores to sell their products exclusively with locally owned, independent retailers.

For stronger communities, more resilient local economies, and more charming Main Streets, the buy local movement is a must. National chains fall short when it comes to serving the community, but small businesses go above and beyond. To make the buy local movement work for your community, join a small business advocacy group like Independent We Stand and start spreading the word about the importance and strong economic benefits that local businesses bring to the their communities.”