Unchain America on November 20

On Saturday, November 20, the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) wants people to shop only at locally owned retailers in their communities. The nationwide event, America Unchained, evolved out of Austin Unchained, the Austin Independent Business Alliance's (AIBA) event held last November, said Jennifer Rockne, AMIBA director. "Last November, [AIBA] did this, and it was very successful -- they received a lot of great press, so we thought we'd do another [nationwide event] ... that focused on the economic value that independents bring to the community," she told BTW.

The findings of the 2002 Civic Economics analysis, "Economic Impact Analysis -- A Case Study: Local Merchants vs. Chain Retailers " indicating that local retailers return more than three times as much economic value back to the community than do chain retailers, will be the centerpiece of America Unchained. As such, Rockne noted that America Unchained is primarily a "media" event, with the ultimate goal of helping community members to comprehend the economic benefit that local businesses provide the community.

For the event, AMIBA is calling on its member independent business alliances (IBAs) and businesses to do some "number crunching," Rockne said. AMIBA is asking that participating retailers and IBAs come up with last year's sales numbers for their communities for the coinciding Saturday before Thanksgiving (November 22, 2003). These figures can be obtained from the state, county, or city departments of revenue, the city itself, or even the Chamber of Commerce.

"With this figure they will come up with the amount of money that would have been injected into the community if people had only shopped at chains and then, if people had only shopped at independents," Rockne said. (AMIBA has an informational sheet that, among many things, includes a step-by-step procedure for coming up with this figure.) Armed with this data, participating local businesses and IBAs would simply have to insert this figure into a press release template provided by AMIBA and send it to their local media as one way to promote the day.

Rockne said she believes most independent retailers would find out that the figure would be significant. For instance, for its Unchained event last year, the Austin alliance showed that there is a $15 million difference in terms of local economic impact if everyone shops at only locally owned businesses for a day. "Obviously, if you focus attention on locally owned businesses for Christmas, there would be a dramatic economic impact in your community," Steve Bercu, owner of Austin's BookPeople and president of AIBA, told BTW last October.

For America Unchained, AMIBA will provide participants with templates for posters, pins, banners, bag stuffers, and table tents, as well as customizable designs for local use; a press release to customize for local use; talking points to use for media outreach; and national media exposure for the movement and local effort.

In addition, the organization will provide Unchained participants with a promotional "timeline," which cue retailers on a number of things, such as when it's time to identify local media targets for the press release, submit the press release, determine button designs, and customize, print, and place posters. The key reason for a promotional timeline, Rockne explained, is to guide retailers through the process to help ensure that their Unchained promotion does not get lost in the aftermath of the presidential election.

At present, Rockne reported that 12 IBAs, along with some "kindred organizations" and individual businesses, would be participating in America Unchained.

The plan is for America Unchained to be held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Rockne said. "Part of the strategy of picking the Saturday before Thanksgiving is it shows that locally owned businesses are good for the community and that will carry into the holiday [shopping] season."

For more information on or to participate in America Unchained, call (406) 582-1255, or go to www.amiba.net.

A new study comparing the economic impact of independent businesses versus chain stores in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago is scheduled to be released by Civic Economics next week. Watch for coverage in next Thursday's edition of BTW. --David Grogan