"Always room for new firsts," and a grassroots organization to promote small, local, independent business.

New Albany First is the city's first-ever grassroots organization founded by, devoted to, and composed of small, local, independent businesses. Amid the usual troglodyte's bounty of doltish misinformation, it is important to remember why New Albany First matters: Helping Communities & Local Independent Businesses Thrive!, and the reasons therein, as enumerated by the American Independent Business Alliance.

There's more to it than that. It also stands to reason that if you're an indie, banding together with other indies to advocate the common cause is the very best way to gain a seat at the table, locally, and a measure of political influence commensurate with growing economic clout.

Businesses say there’s always room for new firsts; New Albany First meetings cater to new, established businesses, by Amanda Arnold (News and Tribune)

Now is the perfect time to open a business in downtown New Albany — even with the Sherman Minton Bridge closed for months to come — according to a group promoting local merchants in the river city.

“Things are coming together. There is a feeling in the county and especially in New Albany that we have to come together to make this work,” said Gary Humphrey, a New Albany Police Department officer and co-owner of River City Winery. “We all either moved here or grew up here, and we are here because we see something here and that is a reason why we stayed. We’ll keep pushing forward,” he added during a recent meeting of the group New Albany First, at New Albanian Brewing Co. off Grant Line Road.

The meetings are monthly with the purpose of encouraging local business owners to take the next step.