Your Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce is launching a "ShopLocalWakulla" marketing campaign to encourage residents of Wakulla County and visitors to patronize local merchants for their goods and services.   This campaign is geared towards keeping our dollars in our county.  The “ShopLocalWakulla” Campaign will recapture, build, and increase local purchasing of merchandise and services, from retail to real estate.  This will increase the supply of more employment and new businesses to meet the demand.

Census statistics show that Wakulla County has the second highest median income in the nine county area surrounding Tallahassee, and that Wakulla County is the most attractive choice of residence for higher income families outside Leon County.  As you may know, over 50% of working Wakulla residents go to jobs daily in neighboring Tallahassee and Leon County, and unfortunately many also shop and spend their money there.  This is not good for local businesses, our economy, or tax base.

The "ShopLocalWakulla" campaign will focus attention on the local marketplace in the hopes of making Wakulla County more self-sufficient and reliant on our local businesses.  Of course, we realize through proximity that we are part of, and will always take advantage of the many social, cultural and academic amenities of the Capitol Region, but not at the expense of our local business interests, jobs, and sales tax revenue.  We now have so much more to offer here in Wakulla County.

Click here to learn how you can become a supporter of the "ShopLocalWakulla" campaign.

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 Top Ten Reasons to "ShopLocalWakulla"

1.   Stimulate the Local Economy

When you purchase locally at "mom and pop" or nationally owned businesses,  more money stays in the community, because purchasing locally helps grow other businesses as well as the local tax base.

2.   Local Non Profits Receive Greater Support

Local businesses donate more to their local charities than non-local owners.

3.  Local Businesses Reflect the Character and Flavor of the Community

The unique character of your local community is reflected in large part by the businesses that reside there.  Local businesses can instill a sense of pride in where you live, and can have an impact on the value of your home and property.

4.  Reduce Your Local Taxes

Spending your tax dollars locally on both sales and fuel means more revenue to local government for schools, roads and sewer improvements.  Spending it outside the county means your local taxes will likely rise.

 5.  Local Businesses Provide New Jobs

Local businesses lessen commute time, traffic, and the carbon footprint, and local businesses are the largest employers nationally.

6.  Better Customer Service

Local businesses tend to provide better customer service because they often employ your friends and neighbors who you are more likely to encounter during your day to day activities.    

7.  Local Businesses Make Community Investments

Owners and managers of local businesses are more likely to live in the community they serve and are more invested in the welfare of the community.

8.  Benefits Outweigh Costs

Local businesses require less infrastructure and utilize public services more efficiently.

9.  Local Competition And Diversity Encourages Creative Consumer Choices

A marketplace of small businesses ensures innovation and competitive prices.

10. We Matter More

Local businesses respond to their customers whose values and desires influence the products and services provided in the community.

“Going local does not mean walling off the outside world. It means nurturing locally owned businesses which use local resources sustainably, employ local workers at decent wages and serve primarily local consumers. It means becoming more self-sufficient and less dependant on imports. Control moves from the boardrooms of distant corporations and back into the community where it belongs.”