When consumers are faced with the choice of shopping at a locally owned business or at a large corporation owned store, good customer service is often trumped by low prices and one-stop shopping. Many, however, stop short of considering where their money is actually going. Consider that a local business puts three times as much money back into the local community than chain stores, and you can see why there is an argument for shopping locally beyond just a friendly, smiling greeting (which you always get coming into Indigo!).
A report from the Civic Economics institute identifies four reasons why local business is so profitable for the community:
1. Labor costs go straight to local employees. It's pretty hard for a business like Indigo Bridge to outsource. A much larger proportion of profit goes into wages than in an average chain store.
2. Profits stay in the community! Instead of sending out excess profit to a CEO in New York, ours go straight to the local ownership.
3. Local businesses buy from other local businesses! In addition to our partnership with Cultiva Coffee, Indigo gets a lot of books from the University of Nebraska Press and buys food from local places like Maggie's and Zola Chocolates.
4. Charity! Besides naturally giving money back to Lincoln, Indigo puts resources into a multitude of charities and community building activities; both the Lincoln and world community. From providing an outlet for foreign language learners to providing a source of revenue to skilled artisans living in poverty, we make sure that we're actually improving lives with the money you spend here. Not only do we facilitate these things, but we also make sure to spread something more important than money; social awareness.
Even if you don't care much about improving community, there are still plenty of reasons for a consumer to choose Indigo! Although we don't have the square footage of a big box store, we have an excellent selection of books you won't find anywhere else. Each of our employees personally oversees which books we have in stock in each section, so each book is assured to be interesting and worth having in stock. As for prices, our canvas bags are only $12 for a 10% discount on all purchases, which is a great deal.
Plus, you can bring your Ivanna Cone ice cream inside and browse. What could be better than ice cream, a cup of coffee, and a bunch of great books? How about a bunch of great books whose purchase goes to good causes and comes back to you and your neighbors!
Peace!
-Dustin
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