IBA News
Issues Affecting Independent Business
General
Watching the Chains
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IBAs in the News
12/7/05
Raleigh's gifts that keep on giving
Local businesses are community gems
12/6/05
The economy of Somewhere, USA
Albuquerque IBA commentary on why keeping 'Querque quirky is important
11/9/05
El Paso, Texas launching IBA to keep local economy strong and home town business as its bedrock
11/2/05
AMIBA does Wales
Both AMIBA and our friends at the ILSR are viewed as models for strengthening communities, as this article from the national website of Wales demonstrates
10/13/05
Third Thursdays bring out the locals, lets the indies shine
Austin IBA's IBIZ program a win for indies, citizens, and the City
10/10/05
Metro IBA in Minneapolis/St. Paul growing strong
8/28/05
Weirdness just runs in Austin
The Keep Austin Weird 5k lets uniqueness have its day, raises funds for the Austin IBA
Hear AMIBA director, Jennifer Rockne's July 7, 2005 interview by Independent America documentary film makers, Hanson Hosein and Heather Hughes
7/5/05
Louisville celebrates Independents Week with announcement of new IBA
7/1/2005
Tampa IBA celebrates Independents Week in style
6/30/05
IBA taking shape in Durango, Colorado
5/27/05
Austin IBA in local coalition to rein in big boxes through proposed code changes
5/17/05
Metro IBA ramps up in Minneapolis/St. Paul
5/05
IBAs in New Mexico are showing communities how money spent with hometown businesses makes their communities prosper
4/27/05
Warwick, New York IBA (WIBA) is out of the box
4/24/05
Santa Fe Alliance on Wal-Mart threat
The Alliance helps citizens change shopping habits
3/26/05
Rally 'Round Independents Week!
This business reporter for the Akron Journal-Beacon sees IBA impact and calls for local action in Akron
3/12/05
IBAs make waves locally in effort to broadside big boxes
We garner Associated Press coverage and gain presence in the L.A. Times, the Baltimore Sun, the Washington Times (DC), the Wall Street Journal this Morning (radio), Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Newsday, WJLA-TV (Washington DC ABC affiliate), BusinessWeek online, Forbes online, and more !
3/4/05
Arizona Chain Reaction activates to support anti-subsidy bill
Bill to end unfair subsidies to chains gains strong ally
3/4/05
Keep Louisville Weird campaign formalizing into AMIBA affiliate
3/4/05
Pikes Peak IBA readies to arm citizens with vital information
2/11/05
Santa Fe Alliance proposes big box study to economic development committee
1/3/05
'Weird' campaign supports independents in Louisville, Kentucky
Issues
11/27/05
Out of Gas
Locally-owned gas stations in trouble as big box stores and chain grocers start to include gas pumps
10/31/05
Developers end run local laws to appeal to voters to change zoning for project
Increasing use of the citizen initiative process to win popular support for residential and commercial developments that run up against citizen-enacted laws paves a dangerous path of which citizens should be wary
10/23/05
Independent restaurants underdogs in competitive industry
Read what they're doing to keep the unique flavor of their communities alive through banding together and creating visibility for themselves
10/2/05
Commercial landlord tires of chain convenience stores leaving, starts his own independent
9/21/05
What's in a name? A piece of a city's soul.
Marshall Fields name cast aside for Macy's at flagship store.
The loss of history and sense of place run parallel to loss of independent businesses to outsiders
9/11/05
The fall and rise of an institution
Kepler's Book Store supporters refuse to let the legend die
9/11/05
RVers flock to free camping in big box parking lots
Campgrounds the latest casualty
9/2/05
Ethnic grocers feel pinch of chains
Maintaining diversity and specialty is key to staying afloat
8/30/05
College students support their independents
As students return to campuses, they're also coming back to the places that keep their college experiences unique and make memories--and they're aware of the issues. See what students at the University of Georgia and Arizona State University think.
8/21/05
Starbucks increases influence in recorded music sales and threat to locally-owned businesses
Exclusive marketing and distribution agreements between chains and record houses unfair to independent music stores
8/14/05
In your hands
Your spending decisions determine more than just meeting your needs. They affect the future of your community (we've said this all along...but it's great to see someone else saying it!)
8/10/05
San Luis Obispo latest community to ban chains
Restricting "formula" businesses is legally defensible measure, allowing preservation of community character.
7/28/05
Manchester, Vermont innkeepers fighting proposed chain
New IBA forming as issue comes to a head
6/3/05
Teens facing increased challenge to find summer employment
Chains frequently not an option--their best chance is with locally-owned businesses
5/24/05
The challenge to communities: keeping community-oriented
An independent cinema owner in Corvallis, Oregon demonstrates how independent businesses invest themselves in their community in order to fill a need
5/17/05
Wal-Mart Corp. drops plan to end-run community-imposed size cap
Original plan called for two neighboring buildings that both fell beneath the cap
5/14/05
Independent golf shops join ranks of indies threatened by chains
4/24/05
Chains and sales tax do in unique gift shop
2/24/05
Queens developer drops Wal-Mart
Store would have been the corporate Goliath's first in New York City
2/24/05
The last independent pharmacist in Alameda
2/15/05
Like the phoenix, Bullock and Jones rises again
Buyback from chain prompted by threatened closure
2/15/05
Grocery Wars: rivals increase, margins shrink, locals brace for competition on steroids
2/10/05
Wal-Mart wants in to Queens, but citizens and officials thinking otherwise
1/9/05
Citizen loyalty pulls independent grocers through in face of big chains
General
Watching the Chains
11/3/05
What do chains look for in a community?
Why locate in community A and not community B? This article provides some clues.
10/05
Target Corp. finds a way to fit stores into to urban settings and downtowns
9/4/05
Fast food chains compete for late night crowd
Increasing 24-hour format and demand for it something to watch
2/5/05
Competition eating away at small grocers
Indies using chain strategies to survive
7/24/05
Chain grocers follow Wal-Mart lead
Forgoing weekly specials for everyday low prices
4/17/05
Chains battling for turf
4/05
Anchorless Shopping Centers may be Emerging Trend
Smaller footprint chains liking being focal point