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By Michael H. Shuman
reviewed by Charlie Malone
Monday, 21 February 2011
 “Five supermarket chains sell 42% of all our groceries, Home Depot and Lowe’s account for 45% of hardware and building supplies and Barnes & Noble and Borders control half of all bookstore sales.” Wal-mart sells the most groceries, music, jewelry, furniture, and toys.
Michael H. Shuman’s The Small-Mart Revolution is an argument for producing, selling, buying and investing locally. Shuman presents strategies for economical development beginning with sustainable communities and ending with a strategy to employ this globally. Shuman’s argument dismantles the myths of big benefits from investing in, or attracting big business to a community. Governments shell out taxpayer dollars as subsidies, tax exemptions, and other favorable treatments and receive little back.
The most useful part of this book is the second part. The chapter targeting consumers, since we are all consumers, has the largest appeal. Each chapter ends with a checklist, the Twenty-Seven Items for Consumers includes tips such as using local banks, driving less, eating out locally, conserving energy, reading local authors and publishers bought at local bookstores, and recycling. All of these choices contribute to a healthy local economy.
If you don’t have extra money the chapter for investors isn’t as helpful. Still, there’s good information here. There are also chapters for entrepreneurs, policy makers, community builders, and globalizers.
This isn’t a book tackling Wal-mart, it is about encouraging us to embrace the local. Shuman explains that it isn’t so important what the Small-Mart Revolution is against as what it is for. It is for strong, vibrant local communities sustaining themselves.
Michael Shuman will be speaking in Fort Collins at the Foothills Unitarian Church on Thursday, February 24th at 7pm. More info about this event can be found here.
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