The LOCAL FIRST Movement
The movement encourages and supports the purchasing of goods and services from locally owned businesses over national chains or online retailers. Sonoma County GO LOCAL is a county-wide commitment to the LOCAL FIRST business movement.
How to go Local First in Sonoma County
Awareness
Sonoma County is home to many wonderful locally owned, independent businesses. Do you know which ones are locally owned? We bet you know quite a few. Think about this, when you have guests visit from other parts of the country and you want to show them around Sonoma County, where do you take them to dine out or shop for unique gifts? Do you say to them, “Oh, we have this great WalMart must see, or we have a McDonalds and Starbucks”?
Chances are you take them to The Beer Baron, Petaluma Pie Company, Birkenstock Village, Mombo’s Pizza, Kindred Fair Trade, Oliver’s Markets, Andy’s Market, Molsberry’s Market, Community Market or the hundreds of other locally owned business that create the true and unique character of Sonoma County. (See a complete directory of them on this site). These are the businesses that reflect the personality of our community and that give you your “bragging rights” for how wonderful it is here. The vineyards and wine making are world renowned, and you most likely share those as well.
Choice
What does GO LOCAL First really mean? It means you have a choice where you shop or dine. Think about those choices you make every day. When you can, choose local first.
Billions of advertising dollars have been spent to convince you that the big chain stores and big box stores ought to be your first choice. Most of us are influenced by advertising of that magnitude whether we realize it or not. GO LOCAL First asks you to think about the many advantages of choosing local first. Locally owned businesses provide more jobs, support more local non-profits and provide our local flavor, character and personality. And contrary to the ad messages, they provide better choices, convenience and goods and services at lower prices than the global competitors.
You may not always be in a position to choose local first, but let it at least be a conscious consideration. The times you do choose local first, you’ll be richly rewarded and so will Sonoma County.
Shift
The shift to locally owned businesses for your spending choice pays off big time economically. It’s simple. When you buy from locally owned businesses, $25 more out of each $100 you spend stays local.
Sonoma County spent $12 billion in retail sales in 2023. According to the 2024 Oliver’s Market Economic Impact Report, every $100 spent locally equates to $185 in economic impact (vs. $131 at national chain, or $53 if no local sourcing). A 10% shift could generate $127 million to $175 million in additional local economic activity, depending on multiplier (3x–7x).
That’s a significant amount that can be reinvested locally to start new businesses and create more jobs, and contribute to our community infrastructure. The path to these benefits starts with you and your shift to local first. You don’t have to spend more, just buy local when you can. It adds up to a huge difference when everyone makes a local first choice.
1. Keeps Money Local
Spending locally means money is reinvested into the local economy and prevents the consequences that large companies bring.
- Reinvest your Dollars: A huge benefit of shopping locally is that it keeps money within the community. A 2024 study states that “52.9% of each dollar spent at local businesses is recirculated locally vs. 13.6% at chains; dollars recirculate 2–4x more locally” (AMIBA). A 2022 study showed that locally owned businesses recirculate 48% of their revenue back into the local economy (AMIBA) –a large and notable percentage. This is in stark contrast to the mega-retailers/large chain companies that only recirculate 13.6% (AMIBA) of their revenue back into their host community. While studies vary on the details, it is clear that shopping locally increases the money that stays local.
- How it works: This is called the Local Multiplier Effect which the American Independent Business Alliance explains as a cycle in a 2024 article, “Your dollars recirculate through your local economy 2-4 times more than money spent at a non-local company. As your dollars move through your community, the money generates more local wealth, charitable contributions, and jobs.” (Risley)
Homegrown Wealth: Where You Shop Matters
- The Downside of Shopping at Big-Box Stores: Public education suffers most drastically from budgetary reshuffling that comes with national and global chain retail and vulnerable low-income populations are afforded the smallest gains (Holder). According to a 2018 interview between Sarah Holder and Timothy J. Bartik–an economist from the W. E. Upjohn Institute–in Bloomberg News, large company, “…incentives [offered by cities and states to large corporations] do indeed have benefits for local economic development in the short term, negative effects begin compounding as soon as 22 years into an agreement” (Holder).
- Save Local Gems: Also, shopping at mega-retailers can cause a domino effect that leads to the closure of precious local stores. Good Jobs First–an organization dedicated to reporting corporate welfare and misconduct–conducted a study in 2022 and found that “The business models of big-box chains are to dominate market share. That is, they grow mostly at the expense of existing competitors, many of them locally owned independent businesses…In towns and cities across America, big-box retailers have been the death knell for local businesses. Iowa State economist Kenneth Stone, for example, has produced numerous studies looking at the long-term impact of Walmart on Iowa retailers” (Good Jobs First).
- Bank Locally: Using your local bank comes with more flexibility and benefits than when opting for a national/multinational bank. A money management article written by Bank of The James–a local Virginian bank–in 2023 states that “Smaller banks can offer more flexible loans, especially in the cases of small businesses (as local banks are small businesses themselves). Community banks can offer more commercial loans than big banks…And rates on car loans may be cheaper, too. As of 2011, they held 14 percent of banking industry assets, but held 46 percent of the industry’s small loans to farms and businesses, according to the FDIC report issued in December 2012” (Bank of The James).
- Insure Locally: Using local insurance also has similar benefits to local banking. In fact, Midwest Bank wrote an article titled “Benefits of Choosing a Local Insurance Agency vs. a National Chain” in 2024 stating that “Small insurance agencies…understand local risks better than a national agency headquartered across the country. For instance, if you live in an area prone to tornadoes, flooding, or wildfires, a local agent will have first-hand knowledge of those challenges…” (Wolfe). Even more, Midwest Bank also found that “…small agencies are often more adept at finding hidden discounts or bundling options that national companies might not advertise. Whether it’s a multi-policy discount for bundling home and auto insurance, or special discounts for safe driving and home safety features, a local agent will take the time to maximize your savings. (Wolfe). All in all, it seems that financial services can be better satisfied using local businesses.
2. Help Save Your Planet
Join the fight for our planet and protect your environment, land, and wildlife.
- Reduce Carbon Footprint: Shopping locally reduces your carbon footprint in many different ways. For one, it reduces your “food miles.” BBC News defines food miles in a 2024 article titled, “What are Food Miles and Why are they Important?” as “…the distance food has traveled to get to your plate. Food must travel from the farm it is grown on or the factory it is made in, to a supermarket or shop to be sold” (BBC News). Large chain stores often have to: travel by vehicle or airplane, use shipping or packing facilities, and refrigeration. All of which create large carbon footprints and therefore pollution. On the other hand, local businesses grow and create their products locally, and reduce this carbon footprint largely.
- Protect Habitat & Wildlife: Another reason to buy locally is that local stores/services do not destroy the environment as big-box stores do. For example, a journalist named Jane Marsh wrote an article in 2020 entitled “8 Companies Facing Environmental Issues in 2024” for Environment.co–a company that reports on climate policy, renewable energy, and conservation–and stated that, “Ikea consumes more wood than any other company — 1% of the world’s wood” (Marsh). This would come out to around 17.8 million cubic yards of wood and the destruction of 17.8 million cubic yards of habitat that wildlife resides in.
- Save Natural Spaces: Also, according to Good Jobs First, when mega-retailers “…locate in farmland, wetlands, or green space, they eliminate natural resources and open space. According to the American Farmland Trust, the United States loses 3,000 acres of productive farmland to sprawl every day. This is the equivalent of all the acreage of Delaware every year” (Good Jobs First). Over 1 million acres per year is projected to be lost to sprawl by 2040, that equates to ~2,740 acres/day. In contrast, local businesses do not require this much land or devastation and even tend to buy/rent locations already built within the community.
3. Job Creation
Need more employment opportunities? Shop locally!
- Job Growth: One of the best reasons for shopping locally is that local businesses are job creators. Yes, the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, and their 2022 study titled “Small Business Facts: Small Business Job Creation,” states that, “Small businesses have accounted for 2 out of every 3 jobs added in the past 25 years” (Wilmoth).
- Advance within Sonoma County: Local businesses offer a variety of opportunities from entry-level to management positions. Merith Weisman, Director of Sonoma County GO LOCAL says, “I keep meeting [GO LOCAL] members who have bought the business from the previous owner. Hard to imagine that at a big box [retailer].”
- Effects of Mega-Retailers: Although we see initial benefits, large companies negatively impact communities in the long term by increasing competition for jobs and resources. A 2018 article by Bloomberg News details how the consequence of hosting large companies snowballs., “In the short term, an estimated two-thirds of the jobs are filled locally, and a third from out-of-state (or city) migrants. In the long run, however, the vast majority of the jobs created aren’t locally sourced: 85 percent of the jobs end up increasing the population via in-migration of workers, while only 15 percent increase the employment rates of local residents” (Holder).
- Supporting Local Businesses = Employment: Job growth by local and small businesses relies on the support of local customers. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, “…small business employment grew rapidly after the recession [2020]…In the second quarter of 2021, the most recent quarter for which data are available, small business employment grew by 939,000” (Wilmoth). This displays the large job growth caused by the financial support of local consumers.
4. Cultivates Community: Spend locally and buy community spirit
Spending locally cultivates community spirit
- Unique: When you support local businesses you’re also investing in your community’s unique character and diversity. When local vendors/services include local culture, then they create a familiar appeal. This is a quality large corporations or chain stores can’t replicate. This unique identity boosts tourism by creating “must-see” establishments, attracting new residents, and promoting local pride.
- Relationships: Notably, the Better Business Bureau stated in 2021 that, “Unlike large chain businesses, small business owners are members of the community and, as such, form more meaningful relationships with their customers. Communities take pride in their unique culture and identity, and they appreciate local businesses that they feel personally invested in as customers and employees” (Better Business Bureau).
- Sense of Place: Local businesses create a sense of place, so shoppers feel more interconnected, social, and included compared to the experience of shopping in a big-box store where nothing is personalized. In a 2018 study performed through The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, this familiar feeling–which local businesses provide–has an official term called a sense of place. A sense of place is impactful on locals, because “…they are more attractive to consumers when compared to big-box retailers built on large tracts of land in suburbia. The historic buildings and unique surroundings of downtowns are often in stark contrast to the “nowhere syndrome” of suburban shopping environments” (Wilson 9-10). Take dining at Mary’s Pizza Shack for example. Mary’s is a locally owned restaurant chain in Santa Rosa that provides a family-friendly and comforting ambiance. Even more, one of their locations is in downtown Santa Rosa which provides a scenic view of the revitalized square and its various local shopping opportunities like Treehorn Book store, Land and Water Coffee, or even Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar. All of which offer a sense of place or belonging.
Shopping just became social
- By frequently connecting with these businesses, shopping becomes a hobby rather than a chore, not to mention that while you build personal connections, then you create a social activity out of shopping locally instead of robotically purchasing from a large corporation.
- The U.S. National Library of Medicine performed a study on this effect in 2019 and found that, “In unassuming neighborhood locales, such as coffee shops, hair salons, and malls, people meet to socialize, express themselves, and support one another. These ‘third places’ enrich social interaction, sense of community, and belonging outside of the home and workplace” (Finlay 1).
5. Nurture Business Diversity
If you want more options, variety, or character, then shop locally!
- When you support local businesses, you get to see new and creative ideas that match what people in the community actually want. This makes local spending exciting and worth it!
- Local Businesses Know Their Audience: Local retailers do a better job at providing products and pricing that their customers want. An organization called Sustainable Connections, which advocates for regenerative economies, explains in their 2025 article titled “Why Buy Local” how small businesses focus on selecting products based on their personal interests and the preferences of their local consumers instead of following a national sales strategy. This can provide diversity of product options and price points (Sustainable Connections).
- Attracts New Residents: The best part about this diversity is that it often attracts innovators and skilled workers who seek a vibrant community to invest in. They “…are more likely to invest and settle in communities that promote their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character. This also means a better use of community space” (Sustainable Connections). This attraction only serves to benefit the local economy since these innovators then contribute to the Local Multiplier Effect.
- As a result of this diversity, the local economy thrives and becomes more dynamic, which ultimately benefits everyone involved.
Works Cited
AMIBA. “The Local Multiplier Effect.” AMIBA, 5 Dec. 2022, amiba.net/project/local-multiplier-effect/.
Bank of the James. “7 Key Benefits of Banking Locally.” Bank of the James, 23 Mar. 2023, www.bankofthejames.bank/articles/7-key-benefits-of-banking-locally/.
BBC News. “What Are Food Miles and Why Are They Important?” BBC Bitesize, BBC, 16 July 2024, www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zjnxwnb#zg7jh4j.
Better Business Bureau. “BBB Business Tip: 5 Ways Local Businesses Can Make a Positive Community Impact.” Better Business Bureau, 7 July 2021, www.bbb.org/article/business/24529-bbb-business-tip-5-ways-local-businesses-can-make-a-positive-community-impact.
Capital One. “Shopping Local Statistics (2024): Benefits of Buying & Supporting.” Capital One Shopping Research, 6 Nov. 2024, capitaloneshopping.com/research/shopping-local-statistics/.
Finlay, Jessica, et al. “Closure of ‘Third Places’? Exploring Potential Consequences for Collective Health and Wellbeing.” Health & Place, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Nov. 2019, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6934089/.
Good Jobs First. “Harms of Big Box Retail.” Good Jobs First, 8 Dec. 2022, goodjobsfirst.org/harms-big-box-retail/.
Holder, Sarah. “The Real Cost of Luring Big Companies to Town – Bloomberg.” The Real Cost of Luring Big Companies to Town, 29 Mar. 2018, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-29/the-real-cost-of-luring-big-companies-to-town.
Marsh, Jane. “7 Companies Facing Environmental Issues.” Environment Co, 27 Mar. 2024, environment.co/companies-facing-environmental-issues/.
Risley, Jen. “The Local Multiplier Effect.” AMIBA, 26 Aug. 2024, amiba.net/local-multiplier/.
Sustainable Connections. “Why Buy Local?” Sustainable Connections, 2025, sustainableconnections.org/why-buy-local/.
Wilmoth, Daniel. “Small Business Facts: Small Business Job Creation.” U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Apr. 2022, Small Business Facts: Small Business Job Creation
Wilson, Jennifer L. Shopping Locally: An Exploration of Motivations and Meanings in the Context of a Revitalized Downtown, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, United States — North Carolina, 2018. ProQuest, https://sonoma.idm.oclc.org/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdissertations-theses%2Fshopping-locally-exploration-motivations-meanings%2Fdocview%2F2115214502%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D13949.
Wolfe, Samantha. “Benefits of Choosing a Local Insurance Agency vs a National Chain.” Midwest Bank, 10 Oct. 2024, midwest.bank/news/2024/10/benefits-of-choosing-a-local-insurance-agency-vs-a-national-chain/.
Together, these ingredients create a robust local economy that is resilient, sustainable, and capable of adapting to change. By using these ten ingredients, communities can create a perfect recipe for long-term economic success.
1. Local Businesses
Local businesses, big and small, are the backbone of a local economy. To start, businesses like Oliver’s Market, Friedman’s Home Improvement, and Poppy Bank Epicenter provide vast employment opportunities. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “Small businesses employ 45.9% of Americans (61.6 million people) and contribute 43.5% to GDP”(Melhorn). Job creation is critical for a local economy, but another contribution these businesses make is that they are not only vendors, but also customers, employees, and partners to each other (Melhorn). These local business factors promote job stability, entrepreneurship, and reinvestment towards the local economy through purchases, local bank use, or taxes that support local public services (Roche). This is also called the Local Multiplier Effect.
2. Workforce
A local economy heavily relies on you as a skilled and adaptive workforce. Forbes Magazine states that, “Workforce training programs have led to an average $10,500 salary increase per participant.” (Mendoza). So, a strong local workforce promotes productivity and fosters local economic growth.
3. Infrastructure
Quality infrastructure–transportation, public safety, and communication systems–is vital for an efficient local economy. Transportation, like railways, airports, and public transit, is essential for daily commuting, commerce, and trade. Thankfully, Sonoma County has the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, and Sonoma County Transit. Then, public safety, like fire and police stations, provides local businesses and citizens with a sense of security and contributes to job creation. Finally, having reliable communication through phone lines and the internet is crucial since businesses are consistently communicating with each other, their employees, or customers through these systems. Consider using a local GO LOCAL member business like SR Technologies – Managed IT Services – a great team to facilitate your business operations.
4. Community Engagement
Engaged citizens support local businesses, which benefits their local economy, and represent their interests, which leads to a more vibrant and unique community. Fintech News writes that, “Community engagement serves as a critical catalyst for economic growth. Through active participation, residents can directly contribute to the economic vibrancy of their community” (Fintech News). When residents participate in local organizations and events, it fosters community spirit and encourages a collective investment in the local economy.
5. Local Markets
Local markets contribute to the Local Multiplier Effect and boost job creation. An article titled “Local Markets: Impact on Economy” by The Farmer Insider dives into this topic and says, “Local markets provide employment opportunities for individuals, particularly in the informal sector, thereby reducing unemployment rates and poverty” (Guide). In addition to this, Farmers Insider writes how local markets promote entrepreneurship and help preserve the area’s traditional crafts or cultural heritage (Guide). Needless to say that this unique local market charm also promotes tourism and therefore uplifts the economy. Sonoma County is no stranger to local markets as it is the host of GO LOCAL members, The Soco Market and Agricultural Community Events Farmers’ Market!
6. Financial Institutions
Your choice to bank locally is one of the highest impact decisions you can make. Local banks and credit unions provide funding and support to businesses and individuals within the community. These financial institutions, like Exchange Bank or Redwood Credit Union, are low-fee establishments that cater to local businesses and personal needs. They understand the community’s unique needs and can offer personalized services and tailored financial plans that help keep local stores in business. For more information on local banking and its benefits, take a look at GO LOCAL’s “Why Bank Local” article.
7. Education and Training
Access to vocational training programs and educational tools that enhance the local workforce’s skills is vital for economic sustainability. Education and Academy’s article, “Top 7 Reasons Why Vocational Training is Essential Today,” says that, “Investing in vocational training contributes not only to individual success but also to the economic health of communities…By filling skill gaps, vocational training helps lower unemployment rates” (Ahmed). Then, education attracts businesses looking for skilled workers to employ! So, by equipping residents with various skills, communities are better prepared for the challenges of a changing job market. That is why The Lime Foundation, which specializes in construction trades, the arts, and technology, is such a crucial pillar for the community. The Sonoma County Library provides free access to computers, audiobooks, and books, which can come in handy for those preparing to enter a vocational school or educating themselves for a specific career.
8. Government Support
Local policies and regulations that promote business development, provide incentives, and support entrepreneurship through grants or resources are necessary for a local economy to thrive. A great example of this is the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative, which is a government-run establishment dedicated to boosting the economy through its initiatives and services. For example, they’ve allocated 1.88M for Community Development Block Grants, $495K to the HOME Investment Partnership Program, and $138K for the Emergency Solutions Grant to support housing and economic development.
9. Technology
If new technologies are applied to our local stores, then owners will be able to boost sales, learn more about their unique customers, and potentially ease their daily operations. ProTRACKPlus, a company dedicated to developing technology for businesses, wrote an article named “Navigating the Role of Technology in Local Economies,” and states that “Digital transformation has a profound impact on local economies…it can help local businesses become more competitive, increase their productivity, and expand their market reach” (ProTRACKPlus). So, a local economy that welcomes new technologies will excel. That’s why services from innovative companies like GO LOCAL member The City POS, a digital payment processing tool, are important for our local economy’s ecosystem.
10. Recreational Spaces
Recreational spaces increase the quality of life and attract tourism, which encourages local spending. Indeed, recreational spaces uplift the economy by increasing property values and sales (Yuvallos). Yes, according to Sustainability Solutions Exchange, “…the value of properties near outdoor spaces, parks, and trails are higher by about five percent than those in surrounding areas…” and, “…As more people (and by extension, consumers) move closer to community spaces, enterprises around the area can expect a rise in revenue” (Yuvallos). When tourists research a destination, they’re more likely to visit an area with diverse recreational spaces (Yuvallos). This is great for Sonoma County since we have spaces like SOMO Village, Sonoma County Regional Parks, and Barn 5400, which means our community has plentiful recreational options for tourists to visit and spend locally.
Works Cited
Ahmed, Zain. “Top 7 Reasons Why Vocational Training Is Essential Today.” Education And Academy, 17 Dec. 2024, educationandacademy.com/top-7-reasons-why-vocational-training-is-essential-today/.
Fintech News. “Driving Economic Growth through Community Engagement.” Fintech News, 20 June 2023, www.fintechnews.org/driving-economic-growth-through-community-engagement/.
Guide, Agri. “Local Markets: Impact on Economy.” The Farming Insider, 25 Jan. 2024, thefarminginsider.com/local-markets-impact-on-economy/.
Melhorn, Stephanie Ferguson, et al. “See the Data behind America’s Small Businesses.” See the Data behind America’s Small Businesses. | U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 28 Jan. 2025, www.uschamber.com/small-business/small-business-data-center.
Mendoza, Jessica. “How Workforce Development Boosts Career and Economic Growth.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 31 Jan. 2025, www.forbes.com/sites/jessicamendoza1/2025/01/31/how-workforce-development-boosts-career-and-economic-growth/.
ProTRACKPlus. “Navigating the Role of Technology in Local Economies.” ProTRACKPlus, 2024, myprotrackplus.com/navigating-the-role-of-technology-in-local-economies/.
Roche, Caleb. “The Importance of Supporting Local Businesses: Benefits to the Economy: The Small Business List: The Best List of Small Businesses.” The Small Business List, The Small Business List, 4 Sept. 2024, www.thesmallbusinesslist.com/our-blog/the-importance-of-supporting-local-businesses-benefits-to-the-economy.
Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative. “Grant Program.” Economic Development Collaborative, 2020, sonomaedc.org/business-services/soco-launch/grant-program.
Yuvallos, Andrei, and Kleo Catienza. “The Importance of Community Spaces to the Ecosystem and the Economy.” Sustainability Solutions Exchange, 22 Mar. 2022, sustainability.ph/news-articles/the-ecological-and-economic-benefits-of-community-spaces.
Banking Locally
What you do with your money matters for you and your community.
When you use local banks then you access accessible lending opportunities, lower fees, and reinvest in your local economy.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead
