Interesting....

So I was walking Saturday with the woman who owns The Running Shop. She's very nice. A little shy but warms up after a few minutes of chatting. ANYWAY, she shared with me some interesting research done by a newly founded organization of business owners that is to be called "Tucson First":

For every dollar spent in a store locally owned/operated, (think "Mom and Pop"), $0.40 on the dollar stays in Tucson. Conversely, for every dollar spent in a large, national chain, $0.10 on the dollar stays in Tucson.

I found that FASCINATING!

Now, I get that the shoes sold at The Running Shop are going to be far more expensive than buying them online or any other major retail chain. But knowing that there's a relationship between the store owner and the community, that more of his/her profits STAY here...well, that's enough to make paying a bit more for a new pair of walking kicks worth it. Or at least that's the story I'm selling when the husband sees the bill! ;)