Welcome to the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Web Site
Support the local businesses of St. Joseph and shop locally! Here are 10 reasons to shop locally:
1. Local character. In an increasingly homogenized world, communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character have an economic advantage.
2. Community well-being. Locally-owned businesses build strong communities by sustaining vibrant town centers, linking neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships, and contributing to local causes.
3. Local decision-making. Local ownership ensures that important decisions are made locally by people who will feel the impacts of those decisions.
4. Keeping dollars in the local economy. Compared to chain stores, locally-owned businesses recycle a much larger share of their revenue back into the local economy, enriching the whole community.
5. Jobs and wages. Locally-owned businesses create more jobs locally and, in some sectors, provide better wages and benefits than chains.
6. Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship fuels innovation and prosperity, and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.
7. Public benefits and costs. Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make the most efficient use of public services.
8. Environmental sustainability. Local stores help to sustain vibrant, walkable town centers, which are essential to reducing sprawl, habitat loss, and air pollution.
9. Competition. A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long term.
10. Product diversity. A multitude of businesses, each selecting products based on their interests and the needs of their customers, guarantees a broader range of choices.
Take a look around and let us know what you think!!
We are a small community in East Central Illinois, six miles east of Champaign-Urbana.
E-Mail us at: Web Administrator
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 816 St. Joseph, IL 61873
Phone: 217-469-2159
Webmaster: Susan McKinney
If you are a new resident in the St. Joseph area and would like to be welcomed by our Official Greeter, email us or call us!