EL PASO — For many students getting their jolt of caffeine from a double shot of espresso while studying for a test or friends catching up on gossip over their lattes, the words “coffee house” and “Starbucks” tend to be synonymous.

An ongoing movement gaining strength is trying to rid the Sun City of this stereotype by encouraging locals to buy homegrown products. Despite being residents of a city that thrives on its unique border culture and southwestern individuality, El Pasoans ironically frequent chain restaurants and franchise shops more often than they do locally owned establishments.

According to El Paso Magazine’s Best of 2009 Poll, many of the winners were chain restaurants and stores.  Starbucks, for example, won Best Coffee for the fourth year in a row. Large franchise chains such as Starbucks lure in customers with their strong reputation and sheer numbers.

More El Pasoans of all ages, however are beginning to support local businesses in what is now becoming a movement known as “going local.”  Nadia Macias, for example, is starting to go local. “Two of my favorite local coffee shops are Kinley’s and Kristoph’s. I find their drinks cheaper, and even tastier than those of Starbucks. On top of that, I really love the atmosphere there.”

Macias tries to support local businesses, she said, because the owners are more concerned about making their customers happy and homegrown businesses make customers feel at home. Owners of local businesses could have opened their own franchise, but they took a risk and decided to be uniquely El Paso, something that helps their city prosper.

Many people think it is important to give these owners credit for their courage, Macias said. “Why help the rich get richer? We should support people who have enough courage to go out on a limb and start up their own business.”

In addition to the coffee shop comparison, there are other businesses throughout the city that compete with major chains. Whether you need a prescription filled, new tires, a furniture makeover, or a bite to eat, there are many locally owned establishments available.

One problem that local businesses have in comparison with major corporations is the difficulty of getting their name known so they can draw customers away from the more popular sites.

Cars around the city now sport black bumper stickers with the white lettering that reads “go local.” Another way to find locally owned businesses is going to the Internet at  homegrownelpaso.com, said Director of Marketing for Homegrown Businesses, Nancy Ontiveros. “Independent businesses help give El Paso its one-of -a-kind personality.”

Locally owned businesses also help the city financially. “Independents donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits, events, and teams than chain stores,” Ontiveros said.

Statistics show that 67 cents of every dollar earned from locally owned businesses goes back to the community as compared to only 13 cents from chain stores.

Starting a business has both positive and negative effects for the business owner and city, says Director of the Franchise Center at UTEP’s College of Business, Art Diaz.

The store or restaurant can be personalized by the owner to reflect the local culture and store owners can move at their own pace making the decisions that will make or break their businesses.

“The benefits of owning a small local business are numerous and subject to individual interpretation. They help the community with jobs, taxes, donations, participation, and growth, and have the ability to grow roots in the community,” Diaz, said.

Along with these benefits, Diaz said there are some disadvantages to starting a locally owned business, including but not limited to, lack of money, experience, and business knowledge.

In between all the chain stores and restaurants on a busy street there are some small coffee shops, family owned restaurants, and boutiques.

Despite the setbacks and risks, locals such as Kinley and Kristoph have taken a chance to brew up something new and powerful for the city.

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