Buy Local Santa Monica

Business Youth Teen Adult Senior

Buy Local Santa Monica is an initiative created by the Santa Monica business community and the City of Santa Monica to encourage local buying that strengthens our thriving community by raising awareness about the economic, environmental and community benefits of thinking local first.

The campaign was launched in 2010 as a partnership between the City of Santa Monica, Downtown SM Inc, Main Street Business Improvement Association, Montana Avenue Merchants Association, Pico Boulevard Improvement Organization, SM Pier Corporation, SM Chamber of Commerce, SM Travel + Tourism, SM Place, SM Education Foundation, GOSAMO, SM Spoke, SM Daily Press and Sustainable Works. There are over 1,500 Santa Monica businesses actively participating in the Buy Local Santa Monica campaign. The program is free to all businesses located in the City of Santa Monica. Flagship events include the Most Loved SM Businesses Contest, Small Business Saturday + Buy Local for the Holidays campaigns.

Thank you for supporting our local businesses and our community!

Jump to Section:

Contact Us:

FAQ

What are the Top 8 Reasons to Buy Local?

It keeps dollars in Santa Monica’s economy, supporting our schools, parks and vital community services. Last year, purchases made at Santa Monica businesses raised $16 million in funding for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. These funds have helped to pay for teachers, a SaMoHi college counselor, new textbooks and school programs. Last year, Santa Monica businesses generated approximately $160 million to the City of Santa Monica's General Fund through sales + use tax revenue, business license taxes + transient occupancy taxes which pays for essential local services including police, fire, parks + libraries. For every $10 spent at a Santa Monica business, as much as $7 stays in the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditure (source: IndependentWeStand). Spending locally ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested right here in Santa Monica.
It helps the environment. Buying local reduces your carbon footprint. Having a diverse range of businesses within walking or biking distance reduces the amount of driving you need to do, lessens traffic and air pollution and helps to conserve land.
It creates and keeps local jobs. Local businesses prefer to hire local. They create jobs in the community for people of all ages. Many of our Buy Local businesses are owned by locals, too! The Buy Local SM campaign has over 1,500 businesses actively participating. These businesses employ 4,000 + Santa Monica residents and over 50% of our Buy Local businesses are owned by Santa Monica residents …your friends and neighbors!
It helps to keep us unique. Santa Monica is a city of neighborhoods, each with a town center comprised of businesses that are diverse and distinctive.
It nurtures our community. Our local businesses are committed to investing in Santa Monica, donating to charitable causes, actively getting involved in the community and helping to support our schools, local events and festivals. #BuyLocalGiveLocalSM
It creates more choice. Local businesses respond to their customers and have freedom to choose the items they sell. They often carry a wider array of unique products that are locally-made or produced. If you don’t see what you want or need, ask!
It spurs entrepreneurs, the lifeblood of California’s economy.
It’s fun! Explore Santa Monica. Discover what our local businesses have to offer. Meet your neighbors. With each purchase made close to home or work you make an investment in our local economy, save time, and reduce your carbon footprint.

Additional "Why Buy Local" Fun Facts.....

Santa Monica has approx. 90,000 residents. Just think, if every Santa Monica resident pledged to spend just $5/day (e.g. a daily latte) here in their community, that translates into $162 million in local spending every year that is reinvested back into our community. These purchases help to fund our parks, schools and community. Talk about a powerful local multiplier of community reinvestment!
Buying local is the #1 fundraiser for our schools. Each year, proceeds from Measure GSH and Y (sales + use tax) generate approximately $16 million in funding for the SMMUSD. Every purchase you make at a Santa Monica business directly supports our community and makes a real difference.
It’s personal! Chances are that many of our local business owners and staff are your friends and neighbors. They live in Santa Monica, support other local businesses by eating, shopping and playing here, procuring local services (e.g. accountants, printers) and reinvest their money in Santa Monica.
Our local businesses support the community. They buy local AND give local too! Throughout the year, our businesses give back to the community by supporting Santa Monica non-profits and charitable organizations through the donation of products, services, funding and volunteers. #BuyLocalGiveLocalSM
Convenience. We’ve got much of what you need right here in Santa Monica (from apples to zippers, business services to household conveniences, etc). Check with your local merchants first - you can avoid the traffic, save money on gas and enjoy the ease and time saved on keeping it local. Better yet, bike or walk local and you'll be getting your daily exercise, too. Chances are we have what you need, right here in town. Think local first.
You can make a difference. With every local purchase you make, your patronage positively impacts the local economy, the viability of local brick and mortar businesses and of our neighborhood retail districts, the sustainability of our community and the wellbeing and health of our schools and vital city services. THANK YOU FOR BUYING LOCAL & MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY!

To find out more about the benefits of supporting local businesses: www.independentwestand.org/what-happens-when-you-shop-local

How Does Buying Local Help the Local Community?

Last year, purchases made at Santa Monica businesses raised $16 million in funding for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, helping to pay for teachers, a SaMoHi college counselor, new textbooks and school programs. In 2020, Santa Monica businesses generated approximately $160 million to the City of Santa Monica's General Fund through sales + use tax revenue, business license taxes + transient occupancy taxes which pays for essential local services including police, fire, parks and libraries. For every $10 spent at a Santa Monica business, as much as $7 stays in the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditure; spending locally ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested right here in Santa Monica. Every purchase made at a Santa Monica business helps to support our community and the local economy.

How Does Buying Local Help the Environment?

Buying local reduces your carbon footprint. Having a diverse range of businesses within walking or biking distance reduces the amount of driving you need to do, lessens traffic and air pollution and helps to conserve land.