Did you know that about 52% of Americans are employed by small businesses and the other 48% are employed by national/international corporations? Of that 52%, about 30% are "micro-businesses", aka: single owners, home-based, or mom and pop type shops. . . or what most people generally think of as a small business. One of the latest spending trends in America is to support local businesses to keep Americans employed and to help our local/national economy by keeping our money close to home. We are all feeling the pinch of rising gasoline prices - not only in the gas we buy for our cars, but also in higher food and clothing prices. With the continuing focus of the "profit at all costs" mentality which has invaded Wall Street, Oil Companies, and Major Corporations, you may not realize that in many cases local small businesses can and are competitive, if not cheaper, in price....and with better service than the national/international chains we are so used to using! Every other week or so we eat at a local pizza buffet place, Pizza Garden. We like eating there for several reasons: 1) their salad bar is far superior to Cici's Pizza ; 2) the pizza is better than Cici's ; 3) it is cheaper than Cici's ; 4) it is locally owned and family run! When we first started eating there about 5 years ago, I didn't expect it to last...how could it being "family" owned and run and with a CiCi's just several miles away. Everyone "knows" that national chains get better deals so their prices and quality "must" be the best. Surprisingly, Pizza Garden has survived... and the Cici's down the street closed down about 3 years ago! Sooo. . . keep your eyes peeled for home-based and/or mom and pop stores providing goods/services that you frequently use (or are thinking of using)....you may find a diamond and at a great price!
FYI: The Small Business Association (SBA) classifies a "small business" as a business that has less than 200 employees and/or earns (before taxes) less than $7 MILLION dollars/year. Unofficially, a new designation "micro-business" is coming to mean a business that has less than 5 employees and/or earns less than $1 Million/year. The SBA wants to change the "small-business" limits to $10 Million/year and/or 250 employees. Depending on the industry determines whether you will look at the number of employees or total earnings.
If you are interested in Buying American, and are on Facebook, this is a great resource; it has where to buy Made in America products and services, by State. It is not meant to be a complete and final list, there may be businesses that you know of that are Made In America that are not on this list. Feel free to contact the owners of the page and let them know!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Peoples-Boycott/162657530435267?sk=app_2373072738
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