During his annual State of the City Address in early March, Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks took some time to talk about the vital role that shopping locally plays in the city’s continued growth and prosperity. 

“I will always stress to folks to shop local — spend your money locally,” Marks said during the address on March 4 at Athens State University. “The importance of that can not be understated, especially when you are trying to buy a fire truck or a garbage truck. I am such a strong believer in shopping locally. 42 percent of our general fund budget — for our police, fire, street and sanitation workers — is made up of sales tax dollars. It is so critical for our residents to spend their money right here in Athens.”

According to an economic impact analysis by the American Independent Business Alliance, for every dollar spent locally approximately 48 percent stays within the community — compared to only 14 percent for chain stores. So, by choosing to buy at local stores or deciding to spend a chunk of change at nearby mom and pop shops, residents can directly invest in their community’s economic growth and development. 

“We are in the business of growing our revenue stream to provide the best services for our citizens,” Marks said. “If we don’t shop locally, then we are just giving that away. We are trying to provide so many opportunities for our patrons to want to spend their money locally, while also attracting other business owners to our community. Our city council has done a great job at capitalizing on retail development projects, but the heartbeat of our community will continue to be our small business owners.”

Athens’ vibrant downtown area has become a shining example of the city’s commitment to local commerce. The area is home to an array of locally-owned shops, which have become a major draw for visitors and residents alike. 

“We’ve got 465 cities and towns in the state of Alabama, and each and every one of us should be promoting the businesses and entrepreneurs within our city limits,” Marks told The News Courier. “It’s much more than just the sales tax dollars for the city — it’s about supporting the people who have invested their time and hard-earned money into our community. We need to be out there everyday supporting them by shopping locally. We have so many people who come into the downtown area on a daily basis, and you can just feel the energy level they bring.”

Downtown Athens is just the beginning, Marks and the Athens City Council have been able to usher in a new wave of development projects that will look to further boost the local economy. Among the exciting new auditions are a Food City and a Texas Roadhouse — all of which will join the city’s thriving retail and dining scene. 

Other projects currently in the works include the French Mill development on the southeast corner of U.S. Highway 72 and Mooresville Road — which promises substantial right of way infrastructure improvements to the nearby roadways. 

At their most recent meeting on Monday, March 24, City Council members unanimously approved a pair of resolutions to allow City Engineer Michael Griffin to enter into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to construct a median crossover on U.S. Highway 72 and approve the payment of $1,601 to ALDOT for a portion of the landscaping for the retail development project. 

“Any opportunity we have to further support our local people — we will continue to do it,” Marks said. “These developments have been in the works for some time now, and we are so excited for them to get going. We just recently celebrated a ribbon cutting at a retail center in Lindsay Lane, so Athens is continuing to move in a great direction.”