Press
Local First Milwaukee in the News
The Other Holiday Shopping Guide, MilwaukeeMag.com, Nvoember 20, 2012
Milwaukee Area Retailers Return More Cash to the Community, Business Journal of Greater MIlwaukee, November 16, 2012
For Immediate Release
Contact: Nancy Quinn
nquinn@localfirstmilwaukee.com
LOCAL FIRST MILWAUKEE LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
AND RELEASES ECONOMIC IMPACTS STUDY
Milwaukee, WI (November 16, 2012) – Local First Milwaukee, a membership alliance committed to supporting local, independent businesses and organizations, recently launched a new website – www.localfirstmilwaukee.com – creating a hub of local retailers, restaurants, service providers and more.
-
Some of the website features include:
-
robust directory, sorted by category
-
map for geographic searches
-
member profile pages with locations, events, offers, and social links
-
member offers by category and events by date
-
information about the local movement and the impacts of supporting local
In order to appear on the site, businesses must meet criteria established by Local First, including local ownership, headquarters and decision-making. Any business within the 5-county metro area that meets these criteria can be listed on the site; paid members receive additional benefits, including profile pages and the ability to post offers, events and news.
Visitors to the site can be certain that all business and organizations listed are truly local, and if they choose to support them, more of their money will stay in the local economy. The fact that supporting local businesses results in greater economic activity was proven in a recent study conducted by Civic Economics for Local First Milwaukee and Boswell Book Company. The study showed that if Milwaukee consumers shift 10% of their shopping and dining from national chains to local businesses, they would create $311 million in new economic activity in our local economy. That is because independent retailers re-spend about three times as much of each sales dollar locally than their chain competitors, resulting in more jobs and community benefits - keeping Milwaukee unique! A summary of the study can be read here.
The economic study and new website were supported by a $20,000 grant to the organization from founding member Outpost Natural Foods. Byte Studios, a Local First member, designed and developed the site.
“All of the enhancements to our site make it easier for Milwaukeeans to think local first, which is a goal of our organization,” said Local First President, Pam Mehnert, who is also General Manager of Outpost Natural Foods. “It’s where local lives.”
Local First Milwaukee's message is simple: choose local first and watch the community prosper. To support its mission, the organization will be hosting a Buy Local Gift Fair at Lakefront Brewery on December 9. Local First MIlwaukee currently has 240 members and is a member of BALLE, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.
###
For Immediate Release
Contact: Nancy Quinn
nquinn@localfirstmilwaukee.com
LOCAL FIRST MILWAUKEE HOSTS BUY LOCAL GIFT FAIR
Keep Your Dollars Here This Holiday Season
Sunday, December 9, 2012 | Noon – 4 p.m.
Lakefront Brewery Palm Garden
1872 North Commerce Street Milwaukee
Free admission
40 LOCAL vendors under one roof!
Free brewery tours at 12:30 • 1:30 • 2:30
Beer and other beverages available for purchase from Lakefront Brewery
Food available for purchase from a variety of vendors
Local First Milwaukee is once again making it easy for consumers to shop local and find unique gifts by bringing over 40 independent vendors under one roof. At the Buy Local Gift Fair, attendees will find items from food artisans Indulgence Chocolatiers and Bolzano Artisan Meats and jewelry at Sarah B Flanagan and Bentley's One of A Kind. There will be gifts for the little ones from My Kids Lids and for furry friends from the Wisconsin Humane Society. Those looking for something that says Milwaukee should be sure to stop at HANmade Milwaukee and CityTIns. As in past years, a number of nonprofits, including Milwaukee Empty Bowls and Walnut Way, will be offering alternative gift giving opportunities. View a complete vendor list.
"Over 1200 people attended last year's event, double the previous year," said Nancy Quinn, Managing Director of Local First Milwaukee, a membership alliance that supports local, independent businesses. "The turn out, the fun atmosphere - and let's not forget the beer! - help make this a real community event."
Lakefront Brewery and Outpost Natural Foods are sponsors of the fair.
###