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The Civic Economics of Retail

civiceconomicsThe Civic Economics of Retail: Ten Years of Studies

Civic Economics

First published January 2012

A solid review of several foundational studies on the costs and benefits to cities of locally-owned businesses versus larger chain stores from Civic Economics. Cities studied include Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco, as well as smaller towns in Colorado, Alaska, and Michigan. Overall, locally owned businesses generate more money for a community than chain stores, as the profits generated by the businesses stay within the local community instead of draining away up the chain.

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