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Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce Founder Rob Greenstein said the connection between local merchants and their costumers is a continuous, conscious relationship.
“It’s natural for people to act in their own interests, but sometimes that harms the group,” he said. “Merchants aren’t just saying “shop local.” They’re saying “just give it a thought in your everyday life. If there’s something you need to buy, ask yourself if you buy it in town first.”
The concept behind the project works like this: for every $50 spent in locally owned stores, $34 returns to the community through payroll, other expenditures and taxes. If you spend $50 in a national chain, only $22 returns. If you spend it online, $0 returns to the community.
The three-fifty project states on its website that “if half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent business, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.”
Greenstein sees the project as another way to bring the community together to enhance the downtown’s vitality.
“One of the things the Chamber wants to do is to create an atmosphere and look for the downtown hamlets that make customers feel proud of us,” he said. “We’re making ourselves and our products attractive enough to be worthy of your attention, so that ideally, you’re going to find your friends and acquaintances down here too.”
Retailers interested in joining the 3/50 project can register under several different labels, including “Storefront retailer,” “Other brick and mortar business,” “Business that wears a national or regional brand name,” and other supporters such as companies, organizations, individuals and home based businesses.
Consumers looking to find out more information about the 3/50 project and how to become part of it can visit its website.
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