Shop Local Rochester is about supporting local businesses in our community -- businesses that employ 1 out of every 3 people in Olmsted County. Businesses that pay out $1.9 billion to their employees every year. Businesses that contribute more than $220 million in taxes that support the quality of life we all enjoy. These small, local businesses make up the backbone of our local economy and provide a diverse and ample array of products, services, and items.

 

These organizations are intrinsic to our unique community, and we must do all we can to help them through this difficult period. Here are three things you can do immediately to help the cause and ensure our local businesses thrive:

 

1. Shop online
   Many small businesses have online shopping options. Better yet, if you run into a problem and call for help, you talk to a person who is just down the street. You DO NOT need to sacrifice convenience or accessibility by shopping online with local stores.
2. Visit the stores.
   Retailers, restaurants, hotels, and many small businesses are all taking the necessary COVID safety precautions, including signing onto the Rochester Ready Safe Pledge. It is safe to shop with these local merchants, and they are deeply committed to your health and well-being.
3. Tell your friends and neighbors just how critical it is to support local business. 
   Be a Shop Local Rochester champion! Share out the social media posts. Remind your family to run errands at local stores. Encourage your friends and acquaintances to shop locally. We all have a vested interest in seeing these small businesses succeed, so let's pull together and make it happen! 

 

Small Business Impact in Olmsted County

• Businesses with 250 employees or less account for 99.8% of all establishments in the county
• 1 in 3 employees in Olmsted County work for a small business
• In 2016, Olmsted County small businesses employed 95,917 people
• In 2016, Olmsted County small businesses generated $18.9 billion in output
• Small business with fewer than 100 employees paid an estimated $1.9 billion to their employees in 2016 (25% of total)
• Businesses with fewer than 100 employees paid roughly $271.4 million in state and local taxes in 2016 ~$114.5 million in sales tax ~$74 million in property taxes
• Increasing small business sales by 5% would add 2,800 jobs and increase total economic activity in the county by an estimated $359.6 million

(Source: Economic Impact of Small Business in Olmsted County, University of Minnesota Extension Service)