Why Live Local in the INW?

By choosing local and independent businesses for your services and shopping, you enjoy a more distinctive and personal experience, and you’re also helping:

BUILD COMMUNITY
The casual encounters you enjoy at neighborhood businesses and the public spaces around them build relationships and community cohesiveness. They’re the ultimate social networking sites!

STRENGTHEN YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY
Each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns three times more money to your local economy than one spent at a chain (almost 50 times more than buying from an online mega-retailer) — a benefit we all can bank on.

SHAPE OUR CHARACTER
Independent businesses help give your community its distinct personality.

BUY IT WHERE YOU TRY IT
Local stores enable you to try on and try out items before you buy — and get real expertise — saving you time and money.

CREATE A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT
Independent, community-serving businesses are people-sized. They typically consume less land, carry more locally-made products, are located closer to residents, and create less traffic and air pollution.

LOWER TAXES
More efficient land use and more central locations mean local businesses put less demand on our roads, sewers, and safety services. They also generate more tax revenue per sales dollar. The bottom line: a greater percentage of local independent businesses keeps your taxes lower.

GET REAL VALUE
Reader surveys by the Consumers Union repeatedly show independent businesses beating their chain competitors in overall customer satisfaction (and often save you money).

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ENHANCE CHOICES
A wide variety of independent businesses, each serving their customers’ tastes, creates greater overall choice for all of us.

INCREASE WEALTH
The multiplier effect created by spending locally generates a lasting impact on the prosperity of local organizations and residents.

CREATE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Not only do independent businesses employ more people directly per dollar of revenue, they also are the customers of local printers, accountants, wholesalers, farms, attorneys, etc., expanding opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

GIVING BACK
Small businesses donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits, events, and teams compared to big businesses.

ENHANCE DEMOCRACY
Local ownership of business means residents with roots in the community are involved in key development decisions that shape our lives and local environment.

IMPROVE HEALTH
Research shows a strong correlation between the percentage of small locally-owned firms and various indicators of personal and community health and vitality.

References:

The Institute for Local Self Reliance: Why Local Matters

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: For Entrepreneurs to Thrive, Policies Must Help Level The Playing Field

Beacon Economics Report: The Economic Impact of Buying Local

Michigan State University: An Assessment of the Economic Advantages of Shopping at Locally Owned Businesses

Meet Our Live Local Organizational Partners

Ben Cabildo

Ben Cabildo heads his own consulting firm, Ben Cabildo Consulting, and is also the President of the Multi-Ethnic Business Association (MEBA), better known as AHANA. AHANA is a Spokane-based non-profit organization that supports and promotes Inland Northwest multi-ethnic and multi-cultural businesses and their communities. By strengthening AHANA, Ben’s goal is to effectively build our community’s economic base. AHANA’s works with the Washington State Department of Commerce to help our multi-ethnic businesses navigate the COVID crisis. Ben also spends time supporting the Filipino American Association of the Inland Empire (FAAIE). Ben loves Spokane’s open spaces, the river, and less traffic. After the Oakland earthquake in 1992, Ben moved to Spokane to pursue new ventures. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting with and helping friends, carpentry work, creating utility furniture for his home, and reading. He also enjoys kayaking on Silver Lake. Ben’s favorite vegetables are spinach and crispy bell peppers.

Melissa Huggins

Melissa Huggins is the Executive Director of Spokane Arts.  A graduate of Eastern Washington University’s MFA program and Pacific Lutheran University, Melissa has spent over a decade marketing and promoting authors and artists. She also consults on book promotion, media training, artist statements, and more. She is a prose writer, with articles appearing in Lilac City Fairy Tales, Railtown Almanac, the Oyez Review, and elsewhere. Her author interviews with Joyce Carol Oates, William T. Vollmann, and Emily St. John Mandel have appeared in Willow Springs. She headed the Get Lit! programs at Eastern Washington University for five years, which included organizing K-12 creative writing outreach initiatives and the annual Get Lit! Book Festival. In addition to her nonprofit work, she is a freelance copy editor and proofreader. Melissa is an avid sports fan and tweets regularly under the handle @MHuggins99.

Julie Shepard-Hall

Julie Shepard Hall is the President of the Garland Business District, President of the Eastern Washington Association of Health Underwriters, a North Hill Neighborhood Council Board member, and business owner of Integrity Insurance Solutions & ZipperZ Inc. In her free time, she loves to kayak the Spokane River. Julie moved to Spokane in early childhood and has been proud to call the city her home.  She appreciates the size of our city, the ease of connecting with friends, and the beautiful parks, rivers, and lakes. Her favorite vegetables are potatoes.

Megan Kennedy

Megan Kennedy founded Rogue Heart Media in 2011, operating the studio on North Monroe for the last four years. She is currently cultivating a growing team of values-driven nonfiction storytellers and actively pursuing a B Corp Certification. She has previously worked with the North Monroe Business District and Emerson Garfield Farmers’ Market, the WQTIF committee for the City of Spokane the local chapter of Executive Women International. Serving with her nonprofit partners is a joy as well. She has two young kids that keep her busy. She loves to hike, camp, and canoe on family adventures. Megan came to Spokane right after graduating from WSU in 2005 and has been deepening her roots ever since. She loves our beautiful river, surrounding mountains, and our farm country. Megan loves veggie medleys… variety is the spice of life. But for favorites, give her some brussels sprouts, garlic, and sweet potatoes to roast up and she is a happy camper.

Larissa Warren

Larissa Warren is the owner of Bee You Organics, a small, family-owned business that believes in education, health, and people. All Bee You Organics products are gluten-free, zero waste, and cruelty-free. Larissa is also the President of the South Perry Business & Neighborhood Association (SPBNA), a non-profit founded in 1999 as a way to strengthen the community and the businesses in the South Perry District. SPBNA works with the neighbors and business owners to put on numerous events each year that make the District a wonderful place to live, work, play, and worship. Larissa’s goal with SPBNA is to build more community. She’s lived in the Pacific Northwest on and off since 1992, making Spokane her permanent home in 2013, noting that it was the closest “big little city” to her family. With her spare time, Larissa enjoys playing in the great outdoors, beekeeping, and spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite vegetables are peppers.