13
The Enterprise
Sept. 19-25, 2011
Six years later, Local First Utah still going strong By Brad Fullmer The Enterprise What started out in 2005 as a modest group of volunteer Utah-based business owners hoping to better educate the public and other companies about the benefits of buying local goods and services has mushroomed into an organization with roughly 3,000 members statewide. Local First Utah is a nonprofit group whose mission is to strengthen communities and local economies by promoting local, independently owned businesses all across the Beehive State, and to better educate the public and government about the myriad benefits of buying local. The organization is open to all Utah businesses that are least 51 percent locally-owned and make their business decisions independently; there is no class of membership and there is no charge to join. The only requirement, says co-founder and co-chair Betsy Burton, is to be as active a participant as possible and to consider the importance of supporting local businesses. “People need to understand that when they shop, they are shaping the places they live with the dollars they spend,” said Burton, co-owner of King’s English Bookstore in Salt Lake City. “We ask people to understand the consequences of their spending habits.” “If you’re a local enterprise, your money is generating more economic activity in your community,” said David Nimkin, Southwest regional director of the National Parks Conservation Association
and another co-founder and co-chair of Local First Utah. “There is a real feeling of identity and character that local enterprises reflect. We define neighborhoods by the businesses that have been there for a long time. We articulate the goal of promoting local and independent business and want people to understand these elements; it’s about public education. We hope people recognize that they do have an influence on where they spend their money. If they value the local economy and community, we encourage them to find products and
services that local businesses can provide.” Burton and Nimkin said Local First Utah has made a significant impact in its six years in operation, mainly through education. One of the main points of emphasis is helping people realize that for every dollar spent in a locally owned independent business, as much as three times that much is re-circulated in the community compared to if that dollar is spent at a national chain store. “I’ve been an active participant since its inception,” said Steve Rosenberg, owner of Liberty Heights Fresh in Salt Lake City. “When you support a local business, the difference is so multi-faceted and beneficial. That business offers a personal touch, is hiring local workers, and the dollars stay in our community. If that business is fortunate enough to earn a profit, that profit is often reinvested locally. Local businesses allow local people to work at often times better wages and better conditions than a large chain.” “For a business like mine, I want to make other businesses and people aware that we are a local company,” added Pete Ashdown, founder and CEO of Salt Lakebased XMission, and a Local First Utah board member. “It’s a great organization.” Local First Utah originally started out as an offshoot of Salt Lake Vest Pocket Business Coalition, according to Burton, but wanted to expand its presence beyond Utah’s capital city and impact businesses all over the state.
Nimkin, who worked for the Utah Microenterprise Loan Fund for 18 years, was state director of Utah Small Business Development Centers in the early 90s, and worked under former Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson, was instrumental in helping with the organizational aspect of Local First Utah. He said that buying goods and services from local businesses helps with the issue of unemployment. “At a time when everybody is talking about job creation, we don’t have to look to the federal government for jobs; there are ways, with the purchasing power we have, to have a significant impact on creating jobs locally,” said Nimkin. “If we want to promote local businesses, ultimately it’s customers and the community who make that decision.” The organization has a strong presence in Salt Lake City and County, Ogden and Moab, and this year has placed a greater emphasis on reaching areas such as Cache Valley, Wayne County and Washington County. Besides Burton, Nimkin and Ashdown, other current Local First Utah board members include treasurer Jorge Fierro, founder of Rico Mexican Market in Salt Lake; Suzy Dailey, owner of Ogden-based Grounds for Coffee; Leigh von der Esch, director of the Utah Office of Tourism; Jim Rizzi, publisher of City Weekly in Salt Lake; and Jocelyn Kearl, co-owner of Third Sun Productions of Salt Lake.
Not in Our Town Light in the Darkness
Wed. Sep. 21, 9PM In 2008, seven local high school students killed a 37-year-old Ecuadorian immigrant who had lived in their New York village for 13 years. When arrested, they said they were “looking for a Mexican” to beat up. Not in Our Town tracks the steps one town took to repair a community that has been torn apart by bigotry and fear.