Perusing Pittsburg

As we are ending out the 2015 year and making resolutions for the new year to come, I want to urge everyone to give some thought to a project that I am taking on and is close to my heart.

Shopping local and independent businesses and restaurants.

I am taking the 3/50 pledge for the new year and I want to ask that you do as well. What is the 3/50 pledge? Let me tell you. It comes from this project I've come across and grown to love called the 3/50 Project. Their premise is to save the brick and mortars that our nation was built on.

This is how it works:

3 - What three independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keep those businesses around.

50- If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine the positive impact if 3/4 of the employed population did that.

68 - For every $100 spent locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through t taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. If you spend it online, nothing comes home.

1 - The number of people it takes to start the trend.... YOU.

So the concept is pretty simple. You pick 3 locally owned independent businesses each month and spend a total of $50. Not $50 at each location, but $50 total. Before you go elsewhere to buy something you are needing or wanting, take the time to ask yourself if you can do that here in Pittsburg. Go into a shop you've never been in before. Treat yourself to something from one of our Pittsburg brick and mortars. Make a conscious effort to support our local retailers.

Here's what I'm going to do to kick things off and help you get motivated! I'm going to commit to spending $50 each month and then I'm going to share those purchases with you! I'm going to show you what I bought, where it came from and how much it cost! It will be a monthly feature here on our blog. And I hope it will encourage and inspire you to shop Pittsburg.

And don't forget - we have a shop Pittsburg social media contest going on now! Upload a picture of yourself shopping or eating local and use the hashtags #shopPittsburg #bePittsburg to be automatically entered into a monthly drawing.

Happy New Year from all of us at the City of Pittsburg.

And we will see you next year!


Amanda McCellon
Community Development Coordinator