Needham's 'Sizzling Sidewalk Sale' Set Aug. 11

Shoppers will have quite a few reasons to stop by Needham businesses this Saturday.

Not only is it a sales tax-free weekend, thanks to a r, but there will also be all kinds of deals offered at local businesses as part of Needham's 2012 Sizzling Sidewalk Sale.

Sales will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11. Shoppers can look for the "Discover Needham, Local First" logo in store windows to know exactly where special deals will be offered.

In addition, shoppers can pick up the free Discover Needham Gold Card at participating businesses to enjoy discounts throughout the year.

Below is a letter written about the upcoming event by Needham Economic Development Director Devra Bailin. In it, Bailin talks about the value of shopping local and encourages residents to spend their money in their hometown.

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Discover Needham This Saturday

By Devra Bailin, Needham Economic Development Director

Strolling through our downtown, you cannot help but notice the beautifully painted Adirondack chairs. a project initiated by the and Needham Restaurant Association in partnership with the Needham Business Association, is the collaborative effort of the business owners who purchased the chairs and the artists who designed and painted them.

The project is also the kickoff of a sustained campaign by the NBA to promote the importance of shopping locally—. While you are exploring the variety of chairs to be auctioned at a special event on Sept. 29, I want to encourage you to Discover Needham—its wonderful shops, services and restaurants—and make purchases Local First. There is no better time to do this but at the Sizzling Sidewalk Sale on Aug. 11.   

The average consumer, according to the National Retail Federation, spends about $700 for back-to-school needs. By shifting 10 percent of those purchases from non-local businesses to independently owned private local businesses, we can have a profound impact on our local Needham economy because of the multiplier effect. 

For every dollar spent at a locally owned business, $73 stays in Needham and goes toward wages, job creation, taxes and purchases from other local businesses. Spending even a small percentage of your back-to-school, gift or out-to-eat dollars here in town strengthens our local economy and forms a synergy which creates new jobs locally, generates economic growth within our community, inspires others to form new independent ventures, reduces our carbon footprint, and enhances our community generally. Community patronage of locally owned independent businesses preserves the diverse mix of convenient local restaurants, shops and services. 

There is a growing movement nationally not only to shop locally (always think Local First), but also to shift at least 10 percent of all purchases to locally owned independent private businesses. The movement and its impact on recovery was recently reflected in comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who, at a Fed conference in Washington on Nov. 9, stated:

“Small businesses have played an important role in fueling past economic recoveries … We need to think carefully about how, in the current economic environment, our nation can best provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with the support they need to expand job opportunities.”

You can do so by Discovering Needham and shopping, dining and using services Local First. 

Remember that most new jobs are created by locally owned businesses and those are the businesses that invest in our community. Local businesses in our town’s retail and restaurant centers require comparatively little infrastructure improvements, so they add to our tax base and make efficient use of public services. 

Locally owned independent businesses also reinvest in the community both by spending locally themselves and by their charitable and public contributions. Local business owners invest more in our community because they and their employees live locally and are committed to the town’s success. In fact, nonprofit organizations receive an average of 350 percent greater support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses. 

“A Chair to Remember” is a prime example of that giving—at the auction on Sept. 29, the proceeds will go to support sigh School scholarships for students interested in higher education art or business study, town beautification projects and other local charitable endeavors. Please “pay forward” this generosity by our retailers, restaurants and services by spending your dollars locally.

As the NBA’s "Discover Needham, Local First Campaign" makes clear, Needham has just about everything you need, from accounting services to Zagat-rated restaurants. We have: accountants, architects, art supplies, automotive services and sales, bakeries, banks, children’s clothing and consignment stores, toys and gifts, cards and stationery, ice cream and custard, cupcakes, medical, therapeutic and chiropractic services, women’s clothing and consignment stores, construction services, craft supplies, dance, education, daycare, decorating and design services and goods, dentists, dry cleaners, tailors, electricians, financial services, flooring, florists, footwear, furniture, upholstery services, gifts, gift baskets, gourmet gifts, candy, groceries, hardware, health and fitness facilities, heating services, home improvement services, plumbers, horticulture, family farm, human services, insurance companies, jewelry stores, plumbers, lawn and landscaping services, lawyers, men’s formal attire, moving and storage services, music store, photography services, printers, promotional products, real estate services, beauty salons and spas, sign, window treatments, restaurants (American, Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Seafood, BBQ, Chinese, Indian, Italian, French and more)—and so much more.

So, please take advantage of this year’s Sizzling Sidewalk Sale starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11. Look for the "Discover Needham, Local First" logo in store windows. Enjoy the specials or discounts and pick up your free Discover Needham Gold Card to enjoy specials or discounts throughout the year. Choose to shift a percentage of your expenditures this back-to-school season—and all year— to our local businesses. 

Enjoy a relaxed and rewarding experience doing your shopping this year by Discovering Needham, Local First, starting with the Sizzling Sidewalk Sale on August 11.