If you don’t shop local, we won’t have local!

Small businesses are the heart of our community.

For every dollar spent locally $2 to $3.50 circulate around the community, helping boosting our economy through taxes which help our schools, safety forces, parks and neighborhoods.  Statistics show that 90% of small business owners donate money to charity while 70% donate time & money.  They are invested in our community and our community needs to invest in them.

The Chamber is launching a campaign to help raise awareness of who and what the small businesses are in our community and to help drive business their way.  It is a grassroots social media campaign designed to show the community the faces behind our local small businesses-the people you see at the grocery store, at school sporting events, at church and on the street- the business and individuals supporting our community non-profits and United Way, sponsoring your kids little league team and riding on a float in the holiday parade. You will begin seeing posts on our social media platforms and on our Shop Small, Shop Local tab on our web site featuring a local small business owner holding a red sign that says, “I AM SMALL BUSINESS” with the #ShopFostoria and #ThinkFostoria.  When you see these posts, please share them.  They only have an impact if we all share it, build awareness and take action by shifting our shopping.

So as you travel around town, you will begin to see red signs like this

in the windows of small businesses who are actively participating in the campaign.  Stop in and let them know you’ve seen their sign and will be sharing it on Social Media.

For the business it is free to participate.  They can complete a form on the Chamber website, www.fostoriaohio.org and we will send them free printables with the Shop Small Shop Local logo as well as thank you cards they can hand to customers that contain the #.  Once the business signs on I will stop out, get their photo holding the sign and post on Social media.

Small business invest in our community, let’s invest in them!  Shop Small, Shop Local Fostoria.