We are asking residents, business owners, local governments and local organizations to take a look at their purchasing habits and pledge to shift 10% or more of their current out-of-area purchases back to Mower County businesses. You don’t have to spend any more, just more dollars locally. Your commitment will help our communities grow, and you can take pride in knowing that you are taking an active role in creating a stronger economy for everyone.
The campaign was created by the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce in response to a University of Minnesota study that showed Mower County businesses were losing $134 million in potential taxable sales to businesses outside our county. This campaign is an effort to raise awareness of the problem and reverse the trend.
Our ultimate goal is to increase local purchases by $20 million or more. We’ll do this by increasing public awareness about the advantages of buying from local businesses and promoting area businesses. We hope to not only improve the bottom line for these businesses, but also to improve the local economy overall.
According to the U of M, we are currently losing $134 million in sales to businesses outside of our county. Shifting 10% of that back to Mower County will increase sales $13.4 million. Dollars spent locally tend to “multiply” through additional expenditures. The University estimates that dollars spent on local retail purchases circulate through the community at least 1.5 times. Thus, the economic impact would be over $20 million.
We will track the number of pledges and the estimated dollar amount of the commitment. We will recognize the people and businesses who pledge to Buy Mower. And we will track total county sales improvements through the Department of Revenue reports.
We consider any business with operations in Mower County to be local. Businesses located here, whether independently owned or part of a national chain, employ local people, contribute to our tax base, and donate to our charitable causes.
There is tremendous potential! New jobs will be created. Businesses will grow and prosper. New businesses will come to town. Our tax base will increase, providing more dollars for public services — roads, parks, schools, etc. — without a tax increase. More dollars will be available for charitable causes. The list goes on and on! The impact is tremendous!
Just pledge to shift 10% of your current out-of-area purchases back into the local community! Whether you purchase $100 or $100,000 worth of goods annually, you will make a difference! Let us know you’re participating by completing the Buy Mower, Grow Mower pledge form, and encourage your friends, family members and business associates to do the same.
First, a stronger community with more opportunity; a better quality of life. You’ll also have a chance to win great prizes and can even receive special offers from participating businesses!
Start with the list of BUSINESSES listed on this web site. It lists businesses by company name and business category. Check out the HOT BUYS section for special offers. Shop any Mower County business of your choice.
We are not asking you to spend all your money in town, just more than you are currently spending. We realize that not all products and services are available locally, and that people like to shop elsewhere from time to time. In fact, we’re only asking you to switch 10% of your current out-of-area purchases back to Mower County businesses. That should be easy. And it should help local businesses provide more products and services in the future.
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