Louisville numbers that prove shopping local benefits the neighborhood.

"Money spent at independent outlets is more likely to stay local than that spent at a chain."

I can hear the kitchen table dentures clucking, although in this instance, as oft times before, possessing actual facts has a way of soothing savage replies.

Speaking of local indie business, I have errands to occupy my Friday. If Jeff wants to post, cool, but I'll be taking the day off from blogging.

Shopping Local Benefits The Neighborhood: Here Are The Numbers That Prove It, by Ben Schiller (Co.EXIST)

Think about this the next time you go to the neighborhood CVS or Starbucks: You could do more for the local economy by visiting the small pharmacy or coffee place on the corner. How much more? According to a recent study for Louisville, Kentucky--which looks at the "local premium" of spending at local outlets instead of big chains--perhaps four times as much.

Civic Economics has been running the numbers for lots of towns and cities over the last 10 years. And the newest batch of studies--for Louisville, Milwaukee, Ogden, Utah, and the Six Corners area of Chicago--corroborate what at least eight similar ones have shown. Money spent at independent outlets is more likely to stay local than that spent at a chain. The study for Louisville found that independent stores recirculate 55.2% of revenues compared to 13.6% for big retailers, and that local restaurants recirculate 67%, while big chains do 30.4%.