Plan to keep local business strong -- $50 at a time

By Jasmine Huda

KSDK -- Whether you need an everyday item or something for a more discriminating eye, you're sure to find it at these stores.

Some are one of a kind; others are the kind you simply can't find anymore. But they all have one thing in common: they're sold at local businesses.

"We're a family-owned business. You make the choices about what you're going to bring in or not bring into the store. And we like to know that we have control of the quality," said Angela Carter, owner of Mary Tuttle's in Chesterfield.

"My father was in the antique toy business for awhile, and it sort of wore off on me. We had a lot of antique and interesting toys around the house growing up, so I just guess it's in my blood," said Andrew Tolch, owner of Andy's Toys in Sunset Hills.

It's not just the selection or the stories that make these shops unique. It's the little something extra that comes with each purchase.

"The fact that we know most of our customers who come in, or if we have new customers that come in, we get to know them and know about their families, their lives, if they've gone on trips, just that personal touch is a great thing to have," Carter said.

But as dollars have become tight for consumers, they've turned to big box stores for lower prices. A new grassroots movement to save local brick and mortar stores is taking hold. It's called the 3/50 Plan and like most movements nowadays, it began online. A Minnesota woman founded the program. Word has spread quickly.

The plan is simple. If customers spend just $50 a month across three local businesses, they'll have done their part to keep the dollars local. They go farther than you might think.

"The fact that for every $100 spent locally, $68 of that comes back into the community, whereas if you purchase online nothing comes back, or if you purchase in a national chain, $43 comes back," Carter said.

While the amount isn't great, the results can be.

For these business owners, the 3/50 project is about more than just dollars and cents.

"It's such a small amount to give but it can make such a big impact back to the community. St. Louis is a big city, but we're all small communities," said Carter. "And so it's really a nice way to feel more at home with your neighbors."

"I think if everybody just works with each other in their community, the majority of that money will come back and be spent in the community, and that's never a bad thing," Tolch said.

For more information on the 3/50 Project, Mary Tuttle's and Andy's Toys, check the Related Links section of this story on the right side of the screen.