Shopping Local Can Make Your Dollars Go Farther
DENVER (CBS4) - Every holiday season there's a push to spend your gift budget at locally owned stores. Studies have shown that of $100 spent at a local store, $68 stays in the local economy, that same $100 spent at a big box store only nets $48 for the local economy.
Ten Thousand Villages in Cherry Creek North is packed full of treasures, many of them with a holiday flare. When you buy a Phoenician wine glass set, you're supporting a craftsperson half way around the world.
"They can buy a beautiful gift, but then they're also able to share with the person that they're buying that gift for, the story of the person that made it," said Rebecca Yount, marketing and development manager for Ten Thousand Villages.
The fair trade shop brings in scarves, jewelry and gifts from Egypt and beyond. Prices range from $2 to $150.
"We work with artisans in developing countries to ensure they're paid a fair wage," Yount added.
LINK: Ten Thousand Villages
At Wish Boutique in Bonnie Brae, you'll find local artisans among the cards, candles and coasters.
"I have Kate from Biscotti Designs. She makes these coasters. They're all handmade. She says, 'They're created with awesomeness to make you smile,'" explained Lisa Figlino, the owner of Wish Boutique.
The shop offers gifts for girls of every age, ranging in price from $1 to $400. Figlino says that every dollar is key to the economy.
"We employ 24 women, so 24 people have jobs in our small area," she told CBS4.
LINK: Wish Boutique
Tucked in the corner of the Denver Art Museum, the gift shop is its own work of art.
"We're looking for inspiring gifts and items that folks will be connected to," said Greg McKay, the associate director of retail operations for the Denver Art Museum.
Pictures, purses, and puzzles – the shop offers a dazzling array of gifts ranging in price from less than $1 to $1,500.
"Our average price item is less than $15," McKay added.
Every one of the dollars spent goes back to the Art Museum itself.
LINK: Denver Art Museum Shops
Libby Smith is a Special Projects Producer at CBS4. If you have a story you'd like to tell CBS4 about, call 303-863-TIPS (8477) or visit the News Tips section.
