Colorado's Own Channel 2 is proud to call Colorado home, and we're proud to introduce Colorado Owned: A program to spotlight locally-owned businesses and encourage consumers to buy local.

Make a positive impact in your community, your economy, and on your environment.

Why Local First?

By choosing to patronize locally owned establishments, you make a positive impact on our community in many ways. Here are just 5 of them:

1. Environment - By buying things made closer to home, you're cutting down on fossil fuel use, reducing your carbon impact and saving money.

2. Local Economy - Local businesses buy more often from other local businesses, so the money you spend is retained in the community in a more concentrated fashion.

3. Local Flavor- The experience at a local establishment is completely unique - providing the local fl¬avor of the area

4. Community Care - Local entrepreneurs are more connected to our community, because they live here, too. They are more likely than their competitors to get involved in community efforts.

5. Voicing Your Opinion - You are voting with your dollar to say, "Hey, I like this place and the neighborhood wouldn't be the same without it."

Studies & Research on Local First

Numerous studies have been conducted in the past decade comparing the impact of locally owned businesses to non-local businesses. Here's just one:
Local Works! Examining the Impact of Local Business on the West Michigan Economy, September 2008, by Civic Economics

Download the study now (.pdf)

Key finding: A modest change in consumer behavior - a mere 10 percent shift in market share to independent businesses from chain stores - would result in 1,600 new jobs, $53 million in wages, and a $137 million economic impact to the area.