Merith Wiseman, Director of Go Local Co-op
Our speaker for May 15, 2025, was Merith Wiseman, the Director of Go Local, a Santa Rosa-based co-op network of over 400 locally owned and independent businesses and nonprofits. Merith has a Doctor of Education degree from Cal State Fresno and worked for 16 years at SSU, including as coordinator and director of SSU’s Center for Community Engagement for. She joined Go Local in November 2024.
Go Local actively promotes purchasing local goods and services rather than using big box stores and online purchasing. Studies show that 52% of Somona County’s population prefers to purchase locally. Of every dollar spent on local goods and services $3 or $4 stay in our local economy. When you buy online, all of your payments leave the county forever. The same is largely true for big box stores; most of your money leaves the county. Merith noted that since Sonoma County retail sales in 2016 were about 7 billion dollars, if we increase local sales by 10%, an additional $175 million would remain in the county economy! Small business is the heart of Sonoma County’s economy; 2 of every 3 new hires works in a small business. Big box stores eat up farmland and rural properties whereas local businesses typically use existing spaces. Some great examples of local businesses who can help people with their intensive knowledge of the local community are insurance brokers and banks. In fact, the biggest impact you could make by ‘buying local’ might be using local banks!
Go Local promotes local purchasing by publishing 3 print publications: Made Local, Go Local Pocket Guide, and the Holiday Gift Guide. Made Local is a magazine featuring articles about Sonoma County local businesses and their products and services. The Pocket Guide is a listing of Go Local members categorized by the goods or service provided. Made Local is also available online (madelocalmagazine.com) and a member listing is available on the Go Local website. (sonomacounty.golocal.coop). Go Local also issues a rewards card, which can be obtained at Corricks.
Thank you, Merith, for the presentation of the many benefits of buying local and the services Go Local offers to promote local businesses. We may all be thinking twice before we go into Costco or log on to Amazon!
Click HERE to view a limited time recording of Rotary presents GoLocal with Marith Weisman.
