For Sunday: The Prayer Of St Ephraim

 

With Byzantine Chant:

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The Localism Index

By Stacy Mitchell

 A version of this appeared in the April 25, 2011 issue of The Nation. 

Number of new independent bookstores that have opened since 2005:  437

Increase since 2002 in the number of small specialty food stores:  1,414

Increase since 2002 in the number of small farms:  111,839

Number of farmers markets active in 2010:  6,132

Percentage of active farmers markets started since 2000:  53

Average percentage of shoppers at a large supermarket who have a conversation with another customer:  9

Average percentage of shoppers at a farmers market who have a conversation with another customer:  63

Percentage of bank assets held by small and mid-sized community banks:  22

Percentage of small business loans made by small and mid-sized community banks:  54

Growth in deposits at small banks and credit unions since 2008:  $77 billion

Number of chain pharmacy locations that opened in 2009:  177

Number of independent pharmacy locations that opened in 2009:  474

Number of Independent Business Alliances and Local First groups in 2005:  30

Number of Independent Business Alliances and Local First groups in 2010:  143

Percentage change in 2010 sales for independent businesses in cities without a Buy Local First initiative:  2.1

Percentage change in 2010 sales for independent businesses in cities with a Buy Local First initiative:  5.6

Increase since 2002 in the number of Starbucks company stores:  3,297

Increase since 2002 in the number of independent coffee shops:  4,923

Average portion of $100 spent at a Target store that stays in the local economy:  $16

Average portion of $100 spent at independent retailers that stays in the local economy:  $32

Average amount of local wages paid for every $100 spent at a full-service chain restaurant:  $18.68

Average amount of local wages paid for every $100 spent at a full-service locally owned restaurant:  $28.46

Minimum amount having a grocery store, bookstore, coffee shop and restaurant within half a mile of a house increases its value:  $21,000

* Sources: American Booksellers Association; U.S. Economic Census; United States Department of Agriculture, National Directory of Farmers Markets; Robert Sommer, John Herrick, and Ted R. Sommer, “The Behavioural Ecology of Supermarkets and Farmers’ Markets,” Journal of Environmental Psychology, 1981; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; National Credit Union Administration; National Association of Chain Drugstores, 2010-11 Chain Pharmacy Industry Profile;  American Independent Business Alliance;  Business Alliance for Local Living Economies;  Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 2011 Independent Business Survey;  Starbucks annual reports;  U.S. Economic Census;  Civic Economics, Thinking Outside the Box, September 2009;  Civic Economics, Local Works! Examining the Impact of Local Business on the West Michigan Economy, Sept. 2008; CEOs for Cities, Walking the Walk, August 2009.

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