Eat Local, Buy Local, Be Local

“Downtown Hilo is the last remaining historic seaside town in the state. It must be preserved.” -Georgia Pinsky


Hello everyone!
I was very lucky to get to interview Georgia Pinsky who is the office manager at the Downtown Improvement office in Hilo, Hawaii. Pinsky has been working at the office since August of 2010 and has really gotten involved in many different aspects of improving Downtown Hilo. She is in charge of overseeing the Hilo Information Center, located in the Mo’oheau bus depot in Downtown Hilo. Along with answering bus schedule question, selling bus tickets and shared-ride tax coupons she assists in the workings of the Downtown Improvement Association (DIA). The DIA works with the County on the Hilo Bayfront Trails Project as well as Downtown Hilo’s economic and environmental revitalization. They have brought to the community economic events like Black and White Night, as well as environmental projects like Let’s Grow Hilo.
Pinsky also plays a role in the Think Local Buy Local campaign that has been put on by the Hawaii Alliance for a Local Economy (HALE) as the Downtown Improvement Association representative (DIA) on the committee.
Pinsky provided the link to ourdowntownhilo.com to see a community site offering suggestions and ideas about downtown Hilo. She is the assistant to Executive Director, helping her to meet the demand and obligation to the Board of Directors.
Pinsky took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions that will provide powerful insight to not only the happenings of Downtown Hilo but also what you can do to make a difference buying locally. She provided such detailed answers that I don’t want to cheat you in trying to summarize them!


What role do you play in the Think Local Buy Local campaign?
When Andrea Dean first got her grant from the Dept. of Research & Development she told us she was aware that Downtown Hilo had a high concentration of locally owned businesses and business' that sold locally made products. She asked if the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association would partner with Think Local Buy Local for a pilot campaign. So, I have been the DIA representative on the committee to help shape and foster this pilot campaign, and coordinating the launch with Black & White Night allowed us to play "Black & White Night Goes Green..." So, my role has been secondary, and yet, very integral to the whole of the project.


Why do you feel it is important to buy local versus buying from big box stores?
Well, with the Occupy protest happening these days, I have begun to see it as this... "Want to Occupy Wall Street? Buy Local," but to be less cliché about it, it's really about keeping the money circulating within our friends, family, and neighbors. For every dollar spent at a big box store, only 2% makes it makes into the local economy, mostly through wages to the employees. It just feels right. It requires a little more thinking than most people are used these days. You have to seek your mind, and think about the different stores that might carry what you're looking for. You have to be willing to visit the grocer, then the pet food store, then the hardware store, then the bank, or whatever, whereas if you were to visit a big box store you could probably get all those items with one parking job. So really, shopping at the big stores is an extension of everyone's attempt to multi-task. Plus, they're too busy to make the time needed. This is real, and it's my thoughts about the importance of morals.


During the holiday season what is the best thing that someone interested in starting to buy locally could do?
I think one of the ways I really like to buy local is to purchase services for someone. Buy them a gift certificate for a massage, or a foot bath, or 2 hours of yard work for auntie's yard, or a detailing on their car. I think the more we can get away from stuff, and the more we can support our own community by paying people for their SKILLS the better. Skills are under-estimated these days, and I think it's good to support people's abilities.


How can people interested in getting involved with the buy local campaign help out?
Good question. Best thing, talk to the friends and family about changing the way they shop. Spread the word about the importance.


For someone who is not all that familiar with Downtown Hilo, can you provide a preview of the kind of places they might find in downtown Hilo?
Wow. Visit www.downtownhilo.com, where there is a Business Directory of the members of the Downtown Improvement Association. We have about 130 members. There are more than 500 businesses in Downtown Hilo. I would say most of the stores are single owner-operator, and most of those are women. The things that are sold are quality, and the people working in the stores are happy with the job they do.


NOTE: THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY PORTION OF THE WEBSITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND IS ABOUT 80% COMPLETE AT THIS TIME. PLEASE CHECK BACK REGULARLY.


“Hilo's economy is not tourist-based, however, we exist in a state this is. So, we need to recognize that sometimes what's in the best interest of Hilo may be different from the state, or even from Kailua-Kona,” Pinsky said in closing.