FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2010
Contact: Adele R. Meyer, Executive Director
586.294.6700 or adele@narts.org

NARTS Supports The 3/50 Project

St. Clair Shores, MI—NARTS: The Association of Resale Professionals announces their commitment to support The 3/50 Project. With a tag line “Save your local economy three stores at a time,” the Project’s goal is to promote shopping in locally owned businesses while thanking customers for the positive impact that decision has on a local economy.

The NARTS Board of Directors is encouraging their member stores to participate in The 3/50 Project and to go a step further by presenting the initiative to their local business association, Chamber of Commerce and independent businesses in their community.

Patti Acquisto, NARTS Director and Past President, brought this idea to NARTS and has volunteered to spearhead the efforts of encouraging their members to become proactive supporters of The 3/50 Project. Acquisto, owner of Patti’s ReSale in Owensboro, KY, became aware of the project when it was presented at a meeting of her local downtown revitalization group. “I went to their Website and was totally impressed!” said Patti Acquisto. “I immediately realized what an impact it could have on our member shops and their local business communities!”

The premise of the project is quite simple: Ask consumers to pick three independently owned businesses they would miss if they disappeared, then return to them. The 3/50 idea is to spend a total of $50 per month in a combination of three local businesses of your selection. The project’s Website, www.the350project.net, encourages consumers to support local business. According to the site, “For every $100 spent in a locally-owned business, $68 returns to the community, through payroll taxes, property taxes, sales tax, salaries and other business expenditures. If spent in a chain or franchise, only $43 remains local. If spent online, nothing comes home.”

“The 3/50 Project is a good fit for our organization which is comprised mainly of independently owned businesses.” said Adele Meyer, NARTS Executive Director. “This is a natural extension of resale shops banding together to increase public awareness of our industry. The 3/50 Project expands the concept to unite all small businesses and consumers to benefit their local economy.”

Gaining and maintaining local support is essential to helping small business. Independent businesses do not exist alone, they need the entire business community they "live" in to be strong in order to thrive.

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NARTS, the world’s largest resale trade association, is dedicated to continuing education within the resale industry. The Association serves resale shops of all types by providing educational and professional development for future owners and current store owners/managers. Please visit the NARTS Website at: www.narts.org for more information.