Pikes Peak Independent Business Alliance urges community to unchain - American Independent Business Alliance AMIBA

Nov 4, 2004

Pikes Peak Unchained out to pump up local businesses

By SARAH COLWELL
THE GAZETTE

The Pikes Peak Independent Business Alliance encourages residents to buy from locally owned independent businesses on Nov. 20, Pikes Peak Unchained day.

The event is part of a national campaign of the American Independent Business Alliance to get shoppers to buy locally. Cities such as Phoenix, Tampa, Fla., and Albuquerque, N.M., are taking part in America Unchained day.

“Our real goal is to raise awareness of people to shop locally and show them how it helps the local economy,” said Andy Gipe, president of the Pikes Peak Independent Business Alliance.

“That is why we are focusing our efforts on one day, to draw people’s attention and focus. If we can get people to think local first when making a buying decision . . . then that will be a success.”

On last year’s America Unchained day, consumers across the country spent about $20 million in participating cities. Pikes Peak Independent Business Alliance hopes to generate $9 million locally this year. This is the first year the local group has participated.

“If that ($20 million) were spent at big box stores and other chains, only $2.6 million of that would stay in our community,” Gipe said.

“But if we do all our shopping and dining out with only locally owned business that day, we can inject over $9 million into our local economy.”

Gipe and local small businesses think they have their work cut out for them.

“This town has pretty vigorously embraced the large chain stores,” Gipe said. “But now people are starting to realize the ramifications of giving all their business to the chain stores and are disappointed when they lose other local stores.”

Thirty-five local stores are expected to participate in this year’s Pikes Peak Unchained day including Saboz, Old West Cigar and Tobacco and Zeezos Magic Castle.

The group is focusing its efforts in the downtown area this year but hopes that a grassroots movement to support locally owned stores will flourish throughout El Paso and Teller counties.

In addition to Unchained day, the group is asking local independently owned stores to place the Pikes Peak Independent Business Alliance logo in their window to notify shoppers of the shop’s local roots.

Gipe and other members of the group say they want to level the local economic playing field.

“The Wal-Marts and big chains are never going to go away,” Gipe said. “But we do need to restore the balance in the economy where local businesses and chains can coincide.”

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