First National Celebration of Independents Week: 'A Great Start'

From Thursday, July 1, through Wednesday, July 7, independent businesses all over the country celebrated Independents Week, a national promotion to educate the public on the importance of shopping at their local, independent businesses. The event was organized by the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) -- a national outreach networking hub and resource center for independent business alliances (IBAs) and independent businesses. At least nine local independent business alliances and thousands of independent business owners and citizens nationwide participated in the event. Endorsing/participating partners included the American Booksellers Association, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, the Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA), The New Rules Project, and some individual business members of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS).

"I think we're off to a great start," said Jennifer Rockne, AMIBA's director. "We had no idea what to expect from Independents Week, given this is our first year doing it nationally. We got some national media coverage, but the real media interest was at the local level." She added, "I think our momentum will build with each national event we promote." AMIBA's next national event will be "Unchain US!," which is based on an event held in Austin in 2003. "We'll be asking citizens and communities to unchain for one day, giving them the tangible community impact of doing so," Rockne said. (To read about "Austin Unchained," click here.)

The idea for an Independents Week was first developed three years ago in Tampa, Florida, by Inkwood Books' Carla Jimenez, who placed that month's Book Sense 76 titles on sale for the July 4th week. The response to the sales event was so strong that by 2003 about 20 local businesses were participating in the promotion, which urged community members to "celebrate our nation's independence [by] celebrating your independents -- for all your shopping, dining, and entertainment needs." A couple of months after the 2003 event, those 20 businesses formed the Tampa Independent Business Alliance (TIBA), which became an AMIBA affiliate this past January.

Jimenez said of Tampa's third Independents Week celebrations, "It's certainly bigger and more businesses are involved this year." To kick off this year's event, a band was invited for an outdoor concert, and beverage sales brought in over $10,000 for TIBA. Jimenez noted that, in another new development, this year both the Tampa city council and the mayor issued a proclamation declaring July 1 - 7 as Independents Week. She said that having 77 businesses in the local IBA helped catch the attention of the local government, the public, and the media. Media coverage included the Tampa Tribune, the St. Petersburg Times, the local Fox affiliate, and local radio stations.

At Inkwood Books, Jimenez again offered 20 percent off titles on the Book Sense Picks list.

Among the week's events was a community roundtable held at a TIBA-member restaurant, where business owners and the public discussed the city of Tampa itself: What creates a sense of place; how to keep the city vibrant and unique; and how independent businesses work towards those goals.

In Austin, Texas, where the slogan "Keep Austin Weird" is often seen on bumper stickers and T-shirts, the mayor and city council also proclaimed July 1 - 7, 2004, as Independents Week, in celebration of the contribution of locally owned businesses to the uniqueness of the city. As part of the week's festivities, in which over 40 local businesses participated, the Austin Independent Business Alliance (AIBA) challenged Austinites to shop only indies for the week and sponsored a contest to gather as many receipts from independent businesses as possible. Winners will be announced by July 20 via the AIBA Web site.

Steve Bercu of BookPeople, who, with Waterloo Records, AIBA, and Liveable City, commissioned "Economic Impact Analysis: A Case Study, Local Merchants v. Chain Retailers" (to read the study, click here), saw the week as a chance to celebrate independents and to continue educating consumers. "The public in Austin is extremely receptive to the ideas of the value of independent businesses," said Bercu. "We just constantly keep the message out and reinforce it. We've gotten people talking about the independents and their value. That's the most important part."

Bercu also discussed how the impact of "buy local" initiatives is increased by AMIBA's nationally organized campaign. "It has strong positive local effect to have national support," he said, adding that the power of independent businesses is greatly increased when indies coordinate their resources; he likened the effect to Book Sense. "It's something that's happening nationally that you're a part of."

Liz Murphy of Learned Owl Books in Hudson, Ohio, wanted her town to participate in Independents Week. Since Hudson didn't have a formal IBA, Murphy took on the mammoth task of organizing as many locally owned businesses as she could on her own. She rounded up 55 to participate in hosting weeklong sales and other events. Stores invited customers to take the "Indie Pledge," whereby people promised to shop only at independent stores for the first week in July. They received a free button and were eligible to join in a whole-family scavenger hunt with high-end prizes from Hudson businesses.

Murphy reported that working together with other locally owned businesses not only affected consumers, but the business owners themselves. "Before we can raise awareness of the public, we have to raise awareness of our own members [of the informal IBA]," she said. And like Bercu, she compared the mission of IBAs to Book Sense. "First we have to teach business owners about the importance of bonding. It's like Book Sense. One can do only so much, but all together we can have an effect. This year we had 55 [participating businesses]. Next year we'll have even more."

The county of Whatcom, Washington, had hundreds of businesses participating in Independents Week, which was coordinated by the local-business network, Sustainable Connections. Chuck Robinson of Village Books in Bellingham reported that 200 - 300 businesses participated.

Within Robinson's neighborhood of Fairhaven, independent businesses held their own daylong sidewalk sale with music on the Village Green. He estimated that 400 people visited the site.

Robinson was pleased with local media coverage -- Bellingham Weekly and The Bellingham Herald covered events, and Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen appeared in a public service spot about the importance of shopping locally, which aired on local radio stations.

"[Independents Week] is part of an ongoing campaign," Robinson said. Each month and for major holidays Sustainable Connections holds "Buy Local" events and has created a CD with all the necessary templates and logos. Rather than little by little, Robinson said the business network is "lots by lots making inroads into the entire community" as it communicates the benefits of independents. "As in marketing, it's an ongoing effort to remind people [to shop independents] all the time, though in our store, it might be preaching to the choir. But as a preacher would tell you, even the choir has some backsliders."

"One key to these events is getting people in the doors of our independent businesses -- to build relationships and memories, to remind them about what's special, and what they stand to lose if those businesses aren't supported," said AMIBA's Rockne. "We hope they'll shift their thinking and support their community instead of chains when they shop. Another key is the unity we're creating by banding together nationally -- IBAs, trade associations, and others. Our collective voice will reach more ears as we grow."

For more about AMIBA, go to www.amiba.net/. --Karen Schechner with reporting by David Grogan