Ironwood Could Learn From Kirkland, WA Example

KIRKLAND, WA - ARTICLE by Susan Burnash - Saturday, July 25, 2009 - EDITOR'S NOTE: Recently, I was doing some research on "shopping locally" and I found this article titled, "Building a sustainable community: Are you spending locally?" that originally appeared on the KirklandReporter.com website on August 6, 2008. The article was written by Susan Burnash of Kirkland, Washington. Ms. Burnash is a business columnist for that publication. I contacted Ms. Burnash to get permission to repost the story and she offered the following update: "The article led to the City starting a buy local program and online directory which was just launched a few months ago -- www.kirklandfirst.org. I was very excited to be a part of it as doing business locally is important as a community member and in helping to create a sustainable city."

As a Kirkland resident and local business owner, promoting a sustainable city and business community is important to me. Like anyone that lives and works here, I don’t want to see my taxes raised and my public services cut because we don’t have the revenue to keep our budget balanced.

But what can I and other Kirkland residents and businesses do? -- Spend our money locally.

According to the American Independent Business Alliance, locally owned businesses on average return approximately 80 percent of each dollar received back to the community. And every dollar spent at a locally owned business returns five times that amount within the community through city taxes, employee wages and the purchase of materials, supplies and services from other local businesses.

There’s no denying it, locally owned businesses are essential to our local economy. When you support Kirkland businesses, you keep your dollars in the local economy, simultaneously creating jobs, funding more city services through sales taxes, investing in neighborhood improvements and promoting community development. And, yes, you are helping out another Kirkland resident or business that has chosen our city because they believe in all it has to offer.

Many of our business owners have invested their own money and life savings into doing business here, and they are vested in the long-term health of our community. They belong to local business associations, are visible at local networking groups and are often passionately involved with local nonprofits -- often serving as volunteers or on their boards. They are also engaged in public policy, making sure that important city decisions are made by the people who live here and will feel the impact of those decisions.

Now here is the bad news: Kirkland retail stores and businesses are closing every day. And the disappearance of these businesses leaves a social and economic void that is palpable and real. Without these businesses the quality of life we enjoy in Kirkland is impacted dramatically. When they close, we lose social, cultural and economic strength -- and that means fewer choices in determining our own personal lifestyle and future.

But we have a choice and we can make a difference, not only for our community and city, but for our own businesses as well. Here’s a few choices we can make:

- Try shopping locally for a month. Get to know the local business owners and leave them your card so they can do business locally too.

- Educate your employees, clients, family and friends as to the value of doing business locally. A little goodwill goes a long way.

- Develop your own “do business locally” incentive to encourage others to do business with you. Frequent buyer cards or a Kirkland business discount are just a few ideas.

- Send a local business referral to a client or friend that may need a specific product or service. Ask whom they do business with that they would recommend, too. You’ve now created an interactive relationship with a potential client, referral resource and business community friend.

- Most importantly, each time you spend a dollar, weigh the full value of that choice, not only to yourself, but to the city where we work and live. If we make an effort to do business locally, we can definitely build a sustainable business community and city as well.

Susan Burnash is the owner of Purple Duck Marketing in Kirkland. Visit her Web site at www.purpleduckmarketing.com. Contact her at telephone (425) 896-8959 or by email at: susan@purpleduckmarketing.com.