Sunday, September 14, 2003
Banding Together
S.F. independent business group grows in response to state's poverty and fears
of multinational corporate power
By BOB QUICK | The New Mexican
As Neal Polonsky sees it, it's not just his business, Azulito Boutique, that
benefits from membership in the Santa Fe Independent Business and Community
Alliance-- it's the whole community.
'They're a great organization,' said Polonsky, who owns the clothing store with his wife, Alia Munn. 'It's a great way to make business thrive in the community. Having a network of people who support local business is wonderful.'
To encourage that network, Azulito offers a 10 percent discount to alliance members who shop at the store, at 1412 Second St. About two or three members shop in the store every week, Polonsky said.
The alliance, a nonprofit group, was established late last year as the result of various residents' and business owners' concern about the increasing power of multinational corporations and New Mexico's high poverty rate.
The group, which includes Santa Fe financial consultant Rob Rikoon and retired businessman David Kaseman, is trying to address both problems by encouraging residents to support locally owned business and banks, according to the alliance's mission statement.
Some in the founding group were also strongly against the war with Iraq, but the emphasis now is more on building a strong local economy, Kaseman said.
The alliance is based on three principles, which are that the welfare of a community relies on the health of the local economy; independent business is the foundation for local economies; and alliances among independent businesses yield new opportunities and result in economic development.
The alliance now has about 450 members, half of them businesses and the other half individuals, Kaseman said. Membership fees for businesses range from $75 to $500 or more; for individuals/families the cost is from $15 to $250 or more. To date, the group has raised more than $30,000.
'We're trying to get more local residents signed up,' Kaseman said. 'Our goal is several thousand members.'
Members receive window decals (businesses) and bumper stickers (individuals) that urge residents 'to support sustainable community.'
When they join the alliance, members receive gift certificates from participating businesses valued at $150. All businesses are encouraged to provide gift certificates or discounts to members, but doing so is not required.
The alliance published 15,000 copies of its first guide to business members in May and is in the process of preparing a second guide for publication in November. The deadline for joining is Oct. 1, Kaseman said.
'Buddy Roybal at Coronado Paint and Decorating just joined,' he said. 'And so did Joe Schepps,' owner of Sanbusco Market Center and Inn on the Alameda.
The alliance is open to large and small businesses alike, as long as they're locally owned.
Other alliance members include Kaune's Foodtown, which is owned by Jim Downey. Kaune's traces its lineage back to the latter part of the 19th century and is one of the few locally owned grocery stores in Santa Fe.
The alliance 'is an organization with a goal of trying to get people to shop locally as opposed to chains,' Downey said. Being a member 'hasn't had a big effect yet, but we're pleased at what they trying to do. They have some good ideas and good ideals, and we're happy to be with them.'
Kenneth Luckie, owner of Amigo Tire, agrees with Downey. 'I like the idea of people doing business with people here in town and not going through a corporation,' he said. 'We're doing pretty well with the alliance -- people are coming in.'
Amigo Tire, at 1330 Cerrillos Road, offers free rotation and balancing to members of the alliance -- services it says are worth $40.
Empire Builders Supply, which has business in Santa Fe for more than 60 years, likes the idea of 'keeping it local,' said manager Jose Granillo. 'We want people to do business with us rather than the big chain stores.' Empire is at 1802 Cerrillos Road.
At Matthews Office Supply, 1587 Pacheco St., owner Tom Matthews said, 'I think the alliance is a good movement for small businesses in our city. It represents a lot of stability and it can have an impact on our local economy.'
Matthews said he doesn't track the amount of business he does with alliance members, but he's not too concerned about that.
The alliance is more about keeping with his own philosophy of supporting local business.
'It's the right thing to do,' he said.
Fair Use Notice
This site occasionally reprints copyrighted material, the use of which has
not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make
such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues
and to highlight the accomplishments of our affiliates. We believe this
constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for
in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.
Section 107, the material on this site is available without profit. For
more information go to: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml If you
wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own
that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.