SHOP AMES, GROW AMES
5% shift in spending could bring millions for Ames
With the rollercoaster economy of late, everyone is on the lookout for penny-pinching deals and making sure their money is well spent. So what if you could turn your hard-earned dollars into $36 million for Ames?
In an Economic Impact Assessment commissioned by the Ames Chamber of Commerce and the Ames Economic Development Commission, ISU Economist David Swenson found that Story County industries (including retail, businesses, organizations, etc.) and households – spends more than $1.2 billion annually on “potential import substitutes.” This means that over $1.2 billion is spent on goods and services from outside of Story County that can be found within this region.
Swenson’s study actually confirms almost $2.8 billion is spent in total, of which $1.48 billion is estimated to have been purchased from suppliers outside of Story County. However, no one can be expected to make local import-substituting purchases if the product or service doesn’t exist in the area.
But what of the $1.2 billion leaving Story County each year for goods and services that can be found here? Many would argue that it’s not always a matter of finding a similar product locally, but it’s more important to go outside of the area to find the specific product or service that still isn’t available closer to home. True enough, but is there room for even a small shift in purchasing dollars?
Were Ames and Story County consumers to shift even five percent of their out-of-region spending to local purchases, the difference over the course of the year would result in an additional $51 million for the county, with $36.03 million just in Ames, which doesn’t count an additional $10.6 million in labor income.
A few months ago the Ames Chamber of Commerce began a campaign to Shop Ames – Grow Ames, and hopefully you’ve seen some of the green and blue decals on doors of many of our local businesses. In fact, our goal is that every one of our Ames Chamber members would have this decal displayed prominently. Why?
- To support Ames Chamber members and add more value to your membership
- To remind all Ames employees that shopping locally is directly related to community growth with an easy catchphrase
- To enhance local investment retention efforts and encourage an increase in regional economic activity
Even for the “non-retailers,” supporting the Shop Ames – Grow Ames campaign and displaying the decal helps drive home this message to all those who go in and out of our doors each day. Directly or indirectly, putting Shop Ames – Grow Ames into practice helps all of us.
Need some stickers for your business? Want to display them on each cash register, entrance, company vehicle, counter or desk? Contact the Ames Chamber and we’ll bring some over right away. In the meantime, shop smart in 2009, and shop smart for our community. Shop Ames – Grow Ames! 
