A few weeks ago, I posted about some great stuff I bought at a local antique shop. About a week after that post, I learned that one of those antique shops would be closing.  Then I heard that another local antique shop I’d been meaning to visit was closing.  Then I got an e-mail that Tampa Street Market would no longer have their brick and mortar location, and is going completely online.   Last month, Bohemian Vintage closed their store front.  I never got around to visiting there.

Seeing so many local shops go under is heart breaking to me.  I love shopping at local stores.  I like finding unique and interesting objects.  I like meeting people who really care about their businesses and what they sell.  I like buying things that support an individual and not a corporation.  Not to mention the fact that buying local is simply fantastic for your local economy.

I recently read about The 3/50 project, and I love what they’re doing.  They’re encouraging everyone to pick three local shops each month and spend $50 at those shops. (Of course, you can shop at more shops than that, and spend more than that.  It’s just kind of catchy to call it 3/50).  Their site is full of information and resources about why shopping local is so important.

I have decided to take on this project, and document it on the last Friday of every month (I meant to write this last week, but life got in the way).  Every month, I’m going to post pictures of items that I bought locally, and talk a bit about the shops I bought them at.  Since I already document clothes and accessories I buy at local stores with my shopping plan posts, the 3/50 posts will focus on other items.

I’d like to challenge everyone else to try spending $50 locally every month too.  At first, it may sound like a financial burden, but it doesn’t have to be.  Just shift the money that you would usually spend at big businesses to local businesses.  Instead of buying coffee beans at a chain store, buy them at a local coffee roaster.  Instead of buying some cheap furniture at a big box store, buy some cool (much more durable) furniture at a local antique shop.  Instead of buying clothes at the mall, hit up a local thrift or consignment store.

And just a note:  as I’ve said before, I don’t think that big box, chain stores, and malls are necessarily bad.  I just think it’s good to have balance.  I still shop at Target, the Gap, IKEA, Starbucks and plenty of other big chain stores.  But I try to balance that out with local independent businesses as well.  I think that in all things in life, balance is key.