Last week, Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C,I-Deerpark) toured downtown Warwick on a small-business walking tour with Mayor Michael Newhard, Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Orange County Legislator Barry Cheney and Executive Director of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce Michael Johndrow. Over the next few months, Brabenec will be visiting local communities in an effort to encourage residents to buy locally from small businesses to help local economies.

“Owners and employees of small businesses are cornerstones of our communities. While larger name brand stores have value, they don’t understand the spirit of our area,” said Brabenec. “When we spend a dollar locally, we keep the money here to use for our roads and schools.”

Various studies have shown that for every dollar spent at a locally-owned business a larger percentage of that dollar stays within the community. One study, conducted by Civic Economics, found that shopping and buying locally increased local payroll and jobs; investing of profits back into the community; charitable giving by neighborhood businesses; and procurement of goods. Civics Economics also found a secondary effect of increasing supplies and services for other businesses through the hiring of local accountants, attorneys and designers, advertising in local media, and inventory sourcing for local firms.

“It’s incredibly important that as a community we work to strengthen our communities by buying from stores that are locally owned. Whether you’re filing your taxes, eating out or just buying groceries, every dollar you spend in your town goes much further than it would with a big box corporate chain.”

Brabenec organized the initiative with local community leaders to emphasize the significance of locally-owned businesses and their impact on the region as a whole. The tour is part of a broader mission to highlight the thriving local businesses in the Orange and Rockland County areas.