Norcross Introduces 'City First' Program

Updated, 10:25 a.m.

In every town, there's always the push to shop small to benefit local businesses. Well, the city of Norcross officially unveiled a new program that aims to do just that.

At Tuesday's 2013 Norcross Business Breakfast, Economic Development Manager Rusty Warner introduced "City First," which asks residents and businesses owners to think of local companies before purchasing or using a service outside the Norcross area.

"The definitive goal of this new program is to shift dollars back into Norcross while affecting a more permanent change in the way we think about running our businesses," according to the "City First" page on the Norcross Economic Development website.

The city wants business owners in the city limits and unincorporated Norcross to submit basic information on their companies so that the city can compile everything into a list online for locals to see. (Norcross Patch also has a comprehensive list of local businesses in our Directory.)

"If you want a chiropractor and you don't know where to go, you might look on the website," said Susan Warner, who created the program. "It's not really to make a bad business decision. If the chiropractor you want is outside the city of Norcross, [then choose that]; the list is just there to give you an option.

"It's an education program, and once it gets into you, I don't think it's going to leave," she added. "When you're driving home and you need gas for your car, you think, 'Let's keep the money in Norcross. Let me find my gas in Norcross."

The list also is meant to make entrepreneurs aware of other companies in the area, too. 

"It's for businesses," said Mary Hester, president of the Norcross Business Association. "Like for printing, we need to buy [certain things], and if there's a company you know that does that, you always want to go with someone you know."

The Norcross Business Association is actually the organization that will network and promote the City First program.

To learn more or to sign up your business, visit the Norcross Economic Development website at www.economicnorcross.com or contact Mary Hester at mary@lansystems.com.

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