Let's keep our tax dollars in Rockdale! Yes, as a business owner of H&R Block Franchisees and a local consultant in Conyers, the word "tax" is important to me. The impact of shopping locally is as simple as eating my Grandma's apple pie. You just eat it. A sign in a restaurant in New Orleans read: "Eat here or we both go hungry." It is a no brainer. A growing body of recent research confirms the value of shopping locally (andersonvillestudy.com). A dollar spent locally is more than a dollar because it recycles and has multipliers. When was the last time you shopped in Olde Town Conyers? When I close my eyes on a warm summer night, I see Olde Town's future bustling with shoppers, patrons waiting in line for fine dining, homes occupied, children playing in a safe environment and the list goes on. What do you see? However, maybe it is so easy until it becomes complex. Let's do the math. We seldom think about how shopping locally benefits our local economy and definitely probably do not factor in the estimated massive 68 cents on every dollar that is recycled back into Rockdale's community when we spend money with a small local business or the 43 cents when we shop with a local national chain. However, when we shop elsewhere, we recycle zero dollars back into Rockdale. Shopping outside of Rockdale can be compared to washing a load of clothes in the washing machine only when it stops spinning and you open the top and all the clothes have disappeared. Now it becomes complex.
For example, we need as shopping malls with nice anchor stores. Yes, this will help us keep more money in Conyers. Next, when we chose to use reasonableness, many products and services can be found right in our city.
On May 2, a committee was created to focus on the activities and buyer behaviors of shopping locally and it was heartily embraced by the chamber, mayor, city of Conyers, Rotary Club of Conyers and Rockdale, Rockdale Medical, Board of Commissioners, Rockdale County Board of Education, local business owners and many more.
Nonetheless, this is just the beginning or the tip of the iceberg. Much research, both local and global has been conducted on the economic benefits of helping both consumers and businesses rally around a campaign that has been proven to stimulate our economy. Let this be a warning to those who take this lightly. Just stop buying for one day and measure the impact. None would argue that we all want empty homes occupied, restaurants bustling with patrons, medical facilities thriving, schools, nice parks, roads, lots of policeman, fireman etc., but we do not think about how the taxes gained from shopping locally contributes to this. If we all spent just one additional cent every day in Rockdale, we could instantly create an increase in these services.
Shop the Rock Campaign is a local initiative that meets once a month to create awareness and to educate the community on their role in helping to stimulate the economy. We recently partnered with the Old Salem Township subdivision to increase consumer awareness. A logo, Facebook page, Twitter account, phone app, T-shirts, stickers, tote bags and other marketing materials have been kindly donated by local sponsors. Spending a minimum of just $20 on the 20th of each month can and does make a difference.
What can you do as an individual to improve the economic health and well-being in Conyers? Consumers can get out and spend money in Rockdale and business owners can offer incentives and discounts, and anyone can choose a sponsor level that fits your budgets. Let's get out on Sept. 20 and shop until we drop. For more information or to join our team, please contact Diane Adoma, Committee Chair at adoma.diane@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page at shoptherock, Twitter at shopinrockdale, website at shopinrockdale.org for additional information on how to get involved.
Diane Adoma is the owner of an H&R Block location in Conyers and Chairperson of the Shop the Rock committee for the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce.
