Newport Biz Leaders Ask Shoppers to Buy Local this Holiday Season

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the Rhode Island Foundation and Newport business people are urging residents to shop at locally owned businesses using a new website called buylocalri.org, where merchants can market their products and services and shoppers can find locally sold products, see a calendar of holiday-related events and promotions and even sign up for email about discounts and special offers.

“Patronizing local shops and restaurants has the potential to payoff in a big way. We are talking about money that each one of us is already spending, so no additional investment is required. The return can be spectacular as the cash circulates through our economy,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “As these companies prosper, they will grow and put people back to work.”

City officials including Mayor-elect Jeanne-Marie Napolitano and Newport County business people joined the Foundation to unveil the Buy Local campaign at the Armory Antiques Marketplace on Thames Street. Co-owner Lorna Zaloumis hopes holiday events and the Buy Local campaign make consumers more aware of the benefits of shopping at locally owned businesses like hers.

“The owners of the Armory Antique Marketplace very much support this Buy Local Rhode Island initiative since with the popularity of internet shopping, some people have forgotten how important it is to continue to support their local businesses. When you think about it, small business owners are what makes each and every community special and unique. So, even though Newport is a tourist destination during the summer months, we, like all local businesses, depend on the local community for their support year round,” said Zaloumis.

“The Armory Antique Marketplace is a very unique business. Why? Because we represent over 70 different dealers ranging in age from 24 to 80 years old and most of our dealers are Rhode Islanders so essentially we represent over 70 different entrepreneurs at the Armory Antique Marketplace. Our dealers come from all walks of life but they all share one thing – their labor of love for the antiques and collectibles that they source and sell. Sometimes our dealers search for years to find some of their items and in many cases an item is one of a kind and truly a piece of history,” said Zaloumis.

Shifting just 10 percent of the purchasing that Rhode Island shoppers do from chains to independent, locally owned businesses has the potential to add $373 million to the state’s economy, according to a study commissioned by the Foundation. The study estimates that 57 percent of spending with locally owned retailers stays in the state’s economy compared to just 13.6 percent of spending at major national chains.

Only locally owned, Rhode Island businesses can list their companies on the Buy Local RI website. Consumers can search by a number of fields including location, product or service and company name. There is no cost for businesses or consumers to use the website.

Many of the businesses that are members of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce plan holiday sales and promotions like the “Cities by the Sea Holiday Shop and Stroll” on Thursdays in December.

“As part of the Chamber’s Think Local initiative every Thursday evening in December over 60 Newport County retailers are participating in our Cities by the Sea Shop and Stroll,” said Jody Sullivan, Chamber executive director.

“Merchants will be offering in-store discounts and promotions for anyone who purchases Shop and Stroll bags. All bag proceeds will be donated to local non-profits Child and Family and the Martin Luther King Community Center,” she said. “The Stroll features a trolley looping downtown Newport, and gift wrapping at the Seaman’s Church Institute. All shoppers may enter to win one of two shopping sprees donated by all the participating merchants.”

The Armory Antique Marketplace’s Zaloumis also looked back at the history of her business.

“In 2015 we will be celebrating our 20th year in business and what we have been doing for the past 19 years is providing our dealers with a venue where they can easily sell their wares. Several of our dealers are even Rhode Island artisans who display and sell their artwork and crafts – for example, paintings, hand blown glass, jewelry and handbags. We also offer estate liquidation services and consignment to dealers who only have a few items to sell.

We are also proud of the fact that we are truly a green business since our primary product line, antiques and collectibles, are all recycled items so this is appealing to many of our customers,” she said.

“An interesting point too is that many of our dealers have full time jobs while others are now retired from their careers. Our dealers are made up of teachers, college students, artists, lawyers, nurses, interior and fashion designers, radio announcers, librarians and real estate developers to name just a few. So, they come from all walks of life but again most are Rhode Island residents and all are essentially small business owners. So, when you shop the Armory Antique Marketplace you are supporting over 70 Rhode Island small business owners,” said Zaloumis.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2013, the Foundation made grants of more than $31 million to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership,

fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit www.rifoundation.org.

PHOTO ID Left to right:Neil Steinberg, President/CEO Rhode Island Foundation; Councilman Marco Camacho, Vice Chairman-elect of Newport City Council; Mayor-elect Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, New; Jody Sullivan, Executive Director, Newport County Chamber of Commerce; Tony Zaloumis and Lorna Zaloumis, co-owners of Armory Antique Marketplace; Cindy Lee, co-owner Armory Antique Marketplace.