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Buy Local

It's so important to support our local businesses in Albuquerque. Find out why, and how you can get involved.

Holiday Buy Local Events All Winter Season

An image of a Buy Local ABQ Infographic

#BuyLocalABQ

The City of Albuquerque is committed to supporting the local economy though its Buy Local Initiative. This is a two-fold initiative that both encourages the community to make conscious decisions to support locally-owned businesses, as well as internally challenges City departments to award City contracts to local vendors.

What Does 'Buy Local' Mean?

Local purchasing is a preference to buy locally produced goods and services over those produced farther away. It is very often abbreviated as a positive goal, "buy local." Spending at local independent businesses generates more jobs and wealth in the local economy compared to spending at absentee-owned businesses, including corporate chains.

Define 'Local'?

“Local” is often associated with a geography and is a scalable term. Local on the national scale could mean U.S. produced and manufactured goods and services. On a regional scale it could mean Southwestern produced and manufactured goods and services. On a state scale it could mean New Mexico produced and manufactured goods and services. On a metro scale it could mean goods and services produced and manufactured in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Placitas, Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, or Corrales. On a city scale it means goods and services produced and manufactured in the Albuquerque city limits.

The City of Albuquerque uses a city scale and defines “local” as good and services produced and manufactured in the Albuquerque city limits.

A graphic with a list of easy ways to #BuyLocalABQ

What the City of Albuquerque is Doing to #BuyLocal

The goal is simple, keep as much of our money in the local economy as possible by purchasing from local businesses. In July of 2018, Mayor Keller announced the Buy Local Initiative, which is aimed to increase the amount of business the City does with local businesses. This means awarding City contracts to local vendors for goods and services. Every City department is instructed to identify contracts that can be fulfilled by a local vendor. This is an ongoing effort.

How to Get Involved If You Are A Local Business Owner

Are you are local business and want to do business with the City? Click for a list of What the City Buys or information on City procurement processes, registering to become a City vendor, and contract opportunities.

Let your customers know you are a local business by requesting a One Albuquerque #BuyLocalABQ badge! Upon request, the City provides businesses with free window stickers to be displayed prominently for customers to easily identify local businesses. Post the badge on your business window, on your booth, or near your register. If you don't have a #BuyLocal badge request one below!

Request a Buy Local ABQ Sticker

Image of the Buy Local sticker with a silhouette of downtown Albuquerque and Buy Local ABQ logo

How to Get Involved If You Don't Own A Business

We encourage all Albuquerque residents to make conscious decisions to #BuyLocalABQ. This means making choices like eating at local establishments, shopping local, purchasing produce at farmers markets, and getting haircuts by a local barber or salon. For every $100 spent in locally owned businesses $68 dollars stays in the Albuquerque economy, through taxes, payroll and other expenditures as compared to only $43 when selecting to spend at larger chains based in other parts of the country or world.