Shop-Local Campaign Hopes to Keep Cash in Village
Wilmington, VT – While shoppers lined up at the big-box stores early Friday morning, local proprietors and shoppers alike took advantage of a new shop-local, shop-small campaign spearheaded by Wilmington Works, that gave shoppers incentive to stop into local stores they might usually just drive past.
The Vermont Downtown program runs a 50-50 campaign each year that encourages shoppers to do at least half of their holiday shopping locally. According to Civics Economics, a strategic planning firm based in Austin, TX, 68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays within the community, while 46 cents of every dollar is kept by large retail chains. Wilmington Works wanted to take part in the 50-50 campaign, but decided to do their own spinoff of the program, creating a holiday season coupon promotion.
