Macomb County announces Shop Local Macomb campaign

Initiative offers local shoppers a chance to win $500

Shoppers have a big reason to shop small in Macomb County this holiday season: a chance to win one of five $500 gift cards. The gift card giveaway is part of Shop Local Macomb, a campaign that supports locally owned and operated businesses.

 

“Realistically, there are many ways to buy things, including online marketplaces and the big box stores that thrive on our commercial corridors,” said County Executive Mark A. Hackel. “This year, we’d like to encourage residents to include shopping locally as part of the overall mix.”

 

According to the American Independent Business Alliance, independently owned and operated stores contribute to a community’s overall economic health including:

 

• Small businesses donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local nonprofits, schools and sports teams as compared to national chain stores.
• Independent retailers employ more people directly per dollar of revenue.
• In all, a dollar spent at a small store returns three times more money to the local economy than one spent at a big box store.

 

These statistics inspired the creation of Shop Local Macomb. Now in its second year, the initiative features a social media photo contest that starts on Friday, Nov. 23 and runs through Sunday, Dec. 2. Five winners will be randomly selected at noon on Monday, Dec. 3 during a Facebook Live session on the Make Macomb Your Home Facebook page. Information on how to enter as well as an interactive map of more than 1,600 retailers can be found at www.MakeMacombYourHome.com/shoplocal. The site also features information submitted by local retailers about special sales and events.

 

Shop Local Macomb is coordinated by the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development with support from area chambers, including the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce, the Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce and the Romeo-Washington Chamber of Commerce. First State Bank will donate the gift cards.

 

“First State Bank is thrilled to support this campaign and our county’s many independently owned and operated businesses,” said Amy Persyn, marketing director of First State Bank. “We know that these retailers play an important role in creating vibrant communities that attract visitors and new residents. Plus, helping local businesses thrive is a mainstay of our organization. Shop Local Macomb provides a great platform for promoting that.”