Join the Movement

Ten years ago, only a few local folks were concerned about the influx of big box stores, the monopolistic growth of Amazon.com, or the weekly closings of small independent businesses including hardware and bookstores, restaurants and small shops. But a small group of business owners in Greensboro began to meet on a regular basis to find strategies to stay alive. The owners of DressCode, Jack Cecil, Fleet Plummer, The Salt Box, The Pewter Place and others knew that if they could find solutions, there would be strength in numbers.

Early on, they looked to other cities like Charleston, SC, Phoenix, AZ, Buffalo, NY and Portland, Oregon to see how they were promoting localism. Patterns started to emerge, and Triad Local First was born and became a 501c3 nonprofit organization. So here were are, about to celebrate our tenth anniversary with the following feathers in our cap:

*360-plus members and growing,

*a full time and a half time staff member

*a strong and engaged Board of Directors

*a dynamic women’s group that began in January 2019: DRIVE

*many partnerships within our community to share the work of our mission

*Education, networking, and marketing that supports our members

*a growing localist movement in our community that recognizes the importance of supporting locally owned independent businesses

Happy tenth-anniversary Triad Local First! We will celebrate our accomplishments at this year’s Community Table Dinner on September 29, 2019, at the Cadillac Service Garage. See you there!