NEWS

The Corona Virus has been devastating to many Savannah business, some are barely hanging on and without PPP money, many would have already closed. Over the years you may have thought about buying local because it was “the right thing to do.” But now with a global pandemic still a part of our daily lives and a struggling local economy whose future is still unknown, “buying local” takes on a whole new meaning.

Today, the right thing to do means our friends and our neighbors, can keep their doors open a little longer. Now we as a community need to step up and buy local like we never have before! It’s time to rediscover the faces and places that make Savannah so special. Take time to dine in a local restaurant, shop with a local retailer and be tourists in your own hometown by enjoying a local museum, attraction, or tour.

If you are a business owner yourself, do business with people you know and buy local, especially if your customer base is Chatham county. Buying local is no longer about feeling good, it’s about saving jobs and the hopes and dreams of entrepreneurs big and small.

If we all do our part and buy local, we will make a difference – difference we can feel here at home. That is why organizations like Buy Local Savannah are important for communities like ours. Buy Local’s mission is to support independent locally owned and operated businesses in the greater Chatham County area, to maintain a unique community character, provide continuing opportunities for entrepreneurs, build community economic strength, and prevent the displacement of community-based businesses by national and global entities. Formed in 1999, the organization now comprises some 150 businesses who call Savannah home. Both their revenues and expenditures remain within the local economy multiplying four to seven times for each transaction. Their profit and payrolls never exit the area destined for corporate coffers elsewhere. Instead, they go directly towards fueling the Savannah economic engine. Community advocacy, access to support, selection, price and convenience — all compelling reasons why the Buy Local’s philosophy continues to make sound economic sense for Savannah. To learn more about Buy Local, click here.

By Al Kennickell, President of the Kennickell Group