Sticking It To The Big Man: The 3/50 Project

Not long ago, I was shopping and killing time while my younger brother was getting a haircut in my hometown of Northampton, MA. Another cold January afternoon in New England, I figured nothing but hot cup of coffee could fill the void winter creates.

“Well, I’ll walk down the street and hit up Starbucks,” I thought to myself without thinking twice. But then I stopped in my tracks and thought, “Did I really just say that?” I was literally standing in front of the Haymarket Café, an independent and locally owned café and restaurant. Home to organic, fair-trade coffee, baked items, and a vegetarian-friendly food menu, Haymarket Café welcomes an eclectic range of customers—from college students to writers to local professionals, all crowded in a cozy atmosphere of small tables, local artwork, and creaking hardwood floors.

It was a no-brainer. Why should I be another customer at another corporate global chain when I could get the same exact product from a small, local business where I would be helping the local economy? I went into the Haymarket, ordered a medium hot apple cider (only $2.15!), managed to find a seat and people watch while I drank it (delicious), and still beat my brother back to my car to give him a hard time about his new ‘do.

This series of events reminds me of a radio commercial I heard a few months earlier. Stressing the importance of sustaining local, independent businesses, the 3/50 Project highlights that if half of working people in the U.S. spent $50 a month in local businesses, it would generate over $42 billion in annual revenue. What started as a blog post by Cindy Baxter became The 3/50 Project, which has taken U.S. Labor statistics, as well as the support of major companies and media including The Wall Street Journal, CNN and Consumer Reports to raise awareness of the importance of strengthening local businesses and the number of jobs that could be saved by reallocating $50 a month toward local spending.

In the harsh economic times, including Gen-Y college students and recent graduates, it’s easy to admit we’re always finding ways to cut corners and pinch pennies by shopping at large, corporate-owned stores that can sell items at lower prices. I’ll throw my hand up for the guilty party. It’s easier to get groceries and snacks at Wal-Mart instead of a local market or convenience store. It’s easier to shop for house and yard tools at Lowe’s than to go to a small hardware store. And it’s easier to get a 2 for $20 meal at Chili’s than a round of drinks and dinner at that local bistro that has always been the talk of the town.

However, my trip to the Haymarket reminded me that the people who own these small businesses have medical bills, mortgages, and children to feed, and rely heavily on local support.  For $50 a month to do our part, how hard could it be to shell out just a little bit more?

For my part, it’s $3 down. $47 to go.