Town of Vernon Launches ‘Buy Local Vernon’ Campaign‘Buying Local is a Victory for Vernon’
(VERNON, Connecticut) – Mayor Dan Champagne and the Vernon Economic Development Commission have launched a “Buy Local Vernon” campaign intended to educate consumers about the economic and social benefits that come from patronizing local businesses, and to further strengthen Vernon’s economy and business community. The campaign theme is “Buying Local is a Victory for Vernon.”
Thriving local economies make communities stronger and offer a variety of other benefits, Mayor Champagne said.
“Vernon has hundreds of businesses that invest in our community and local economy, offer unique products and services, create and sustain local jobs, pay local taxes, serve local residents and donate to sports teams and local non-profits,” Mayor Champagne said. “Buying local provides a tangible benefit to our community.”
Jeffrey Cohen, Chairman of Vernon’s Economic Development Commission, urged people to consider if a local business can meet their needs, and to consult the Buy Local website, www.vernonbusinessdirectory.com.
“It’s easy to sit home and use your computer or phone to order from an online retailer, or to head to one of the national chains, but there are many local businesses that offer those same products and services at competitive prices,” Cohen said. “When making purchasing decisions, I hope people will pause for a moment to ask themselves, ‘Is this something I can buy locally?’”
A Buy Local website lists local businesses and allows business owners to add or update their listings. The site is linked from the Town website.
“Small businesses are the largest employers in Connecticut and the nation and create two out of every three new jobs,” Vernon Town Administrator Michael Purcaro said. “Each dollar spent at a local business returns $3 to the local economy. Keeping our hard-earned dollars as close to home as possible has a direct and positive impact on all of us. A community thrives by thinking local first.”
Vernon Economic Development Coordinator Shaun Gately said Vernon has a vital and dynamic business community that continually adapts to customers’ needs.
“The pandemic created incredible challenges for businesses and throughout the ordeal Vernon business owners continually adapted to serve customers’ needs,” Gately said. “The Buy Local Vernon campaign is just one way that we can show our local businesses how vital we think they are to our community’s continued success.”
Vernon business owner Drew Crandall played a key role in developing the buy local campaign and its theme, “Buying Local is a Victory for Vernon.”
“Pausing for a moment to think about your spending decision can have a real impact,” Crandall said. “Shifting some of the dollars we spend to local businesses is a victory for the local economy and our community.”
Benefits of buying local include:
In a world that is more and more homogenized, independent, one-of-a-kind businesses help give a community a distinct identity and a competitive advantage.
Local businesses, as part of the fabric of the town, typically donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits, charitable events and teams when compared to their national counterparts.
Local ownership ensures decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and will feel the impact of those decisions.
Local stores sustain vibrant, compact and walkable local shopping districts, which can help reduce sprawl, automobile use and air pollution.
Local retailers are more likely to carry and feature local products, enhancing opportunities for local entrepreneurs.