ON THE AVENUES: Prom planning's nice and all, but New Albany still needs an autonomous independent business alliance.

“Good morning, Mr. Baylor. How are you doing?”

“Well, I’m doing fine, and as soon as I haul this kitty litter home it will be time for another coffee, and maybe that will help a bit, at least until cocktail hour. Actually, you can make a pretty strong argument for cocktail hour almost any time of day, except you run into those pesky wee hours when the bars are all closed, but that’s why sensible folks keep their liquor cabinets stocked at home, because your living room never closes. Flasks are even better. They keep your libation of choice toasty and close, and did you know that flasks were popularized during Prohibition? That’s right, we needed a 13-year-long flask to maintain harmony until the bars reopened after Repeal. Hell, we still do. If it was up to me, we’d have a museum about Prohibition, and force the school kids to go. Until then, there’s always cold beer and hot tickets.”

“You’re all set. Have a great day, Mr. Baylor.”

---

I won't deny that a quarter-century of small business ownership has left me a tad exhausted. Near the end of my NABC tenure I often wistfully recalled the words of John Kennedy Tootle's fictional Miss Trixie from his novel, A Confederacy of Dunces.

"Am I retired?"

But it's hip to be square, so last week I attended Develop New Albany's neighborhood soiree at Breakwater. As parties go, it wasn't too bad. The food and music were great, the acoustics horrendous and the beer selection embarrassing, but what left me baffled like always was the preposterous litany of talking points as presented by a succession of DNA board members in a feat of non-ironic propaganda that would have curled Khrushchev's hair.

Did I mention Nikita was bald? The Breakwater residents in attendance were looking around and saying, dude, who are these people?

Let's paraphrase DNA's ludicrous City Hall-ghosted script.

Independent businesses have invested $60 million or more in downtown New Albany these past ten years -- and so DNA will continue to take credit for the success of these investments in spite of the plain fact that DNA has had absolutely nothing whatever to do with them.  

All a guy can do is stand there clutching his flask and thinking, "Hallucinate often?" Yes, there are many things a high school prom planning committee can legitimately achieve, occasionally stepping out of character by utilizing an idea that wasn't brazenly stolen from someone else, but for them to persist in claiming a leading role when it's really been someone else's time and money is ludicrous and surreal -- and it needs to stop.

This is why New Albany's next mayor must immediately redirect DNA willingly or otherwise back toward National Main Street’s Four Point approach, thus helping DNA to get its local mission right for once, and by doing so openly address a key element of economic vitality by stating the unvarnished truth:

New Albany's ongoing revitalization has been led almost entirely by independent locally-owned small businesses, which have invested cash, energy and creativity alongside a cadre of primarily hometown local developers and builders. As such, the next logical grassroots step is for City Hall to help midwife an independent business association -- then get the hell out of the way.

I've bounced this idea off David White, and he gets it. If Mark Seabrook and Dan Coffey are reading, please let me know what you think.

Back in 2011, an independent business association is exactly what Jeff Gahan told some of us he was going to put his weight behind. He didn't, and as we've since learned, he couldn't, any more than my cat can sprout wings and zoom to a grain-fed all-mouse deli in New Jersey.

Gahan's only default mechanism is control, and he annexed DNA in precisely the same fashion as the housing authority, hitching it to his own circled wagon and rendering this purportedly non-political organization into an in-house appendage of his re-election campaign.

Coming soon: mandatory ribbon cuttings for all New Albany businesses -- five or six times until November, if necessary to re-enthrone Dear Leader.

Naturally, using DNA as a plaything provides greater benefits to Gahan for keeping his cult of personality afloat, but an independent business association would offer far greater returns in economic advancement for the entire city. Sadly, beginning in 2012 we learned the hard way that when City Hall generates a head wind against you, it's unlikely you'll be getting up to speed.

This isn't to excuse the independent locally-owned small business community for a certain level of ongoing passivity, only to recognize with eyes wide open that while Gahan has alarmingly few abilities as a cash-stuffed political hack, one of them undoubtedly is a degree of skill at playing the "divide and conquer" game.

Bullying goes hand in hand with this, and fear of the consequences makes it problematic for indies to resist, so pending the imminent electoral flushing of the patronage clique, indies can get started by heeding the advice of the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) and embracing a simple but eloquent truth: 

 "There truly is strength in numbers."

AMIBA's characterization of the situation follows. If you own a business or know someone who does, please read and share it.

Because Community Matters

Think of your favorite shop, restaurant, farm or service provider. We’ll bet it’s a homegrown business. Independent locally-owned businesses are essential to a vital local economy and community character. They’re where the locals go. They’re owned by our friends and neighbors, or maybe even by you.

Community-serving businesses are the backbone of local economies, civic life, local charities, and wealth creation for millions of citizens, as well as a training ground for future generations of entrepreneurs.

Problem: Today, independent businesses face unprecedented competition from larger chain competitors, internet merchants and franchises that enjoy national or international branding power and major economies of scale. As a result, community-based businesses comprise a smaller portion of our economy than ever before. We’ll lose much more than places to shop, dine or do business if we allow current trends to continue.

A Proven Solution: Many cities and towns have discovered a model, pioneered by the staff of the American Independent Business Alliance, to counter these trends successfully and help local entrepreneurs thrive. More than 85 communities in North America now boast Independent Business Alliances to unite independent businesses across all sectors, along with concerned citizens to build vibrant, durable local economies. AMIBA can help you use our models to implement an effective buy local campaign, pass pro-local public policies, facilitate effective collaboration among local businesses and more. There truly is strength in numbers. Learn more about benefits of AMIBA affiliation or the four realms of IBA work. You’ll love what an IBA can do for your business or community!

Why expend the effort? Because division is so costly.

When it comes to power, a vacuum is a condition waiting to be filled. In New Albany, with Gahan's default imperative remaining absolute control to the exclusion of intellectual content, entities like DNA (and to an extent One Southern Indiana) are delighted to fill the vacuum created by the absence of indie self-organization, which if achieved would advance the indie business segment's economic interests as a cohesive bloc and make possible the concentration of power as a purpose-built collective.

How many members of Gahan's City Hall clique have ever owned an independent small business? If indies are to have an organization, shouldn’t it be an organization whose primary purpose is to advance the clout of indies? Indies themselves know best, don't they? 

What's more, there is no reason why a New Albany Independent Business Alliance (for a model, think LIBA, the Louisville Independent Business Alliance) could not exist in cooperation with a reformatted DNA’s economic vitality mission, as a component of what National Main Street now refers to as “cross-cutting Community Transformation Strategies." Genuine possibilities exist.

The point is this:

Independent locally-owned small businesses have driven New Albany’s revitalization, and yet in terms of decision-making, the reins are nowhere close to the hands of the folks who’ve done the work.

Why do we not insist on input -- on power -- commensurate with our achievements?

Gahan desires a rubber stamp, not an active and equal partner, but if the mayor and his lickspittles are unwilling to cooperate, shouldn't we be eager to usher forth the era of "next" as quickly and expeditiously as possible?

#FireGahan2019

---

Recent columns:

February 26: ON THE AVENUES: Pretty in pink slips, aren’t they? Those who mutilated Speck need to be cashiered.

February 22: ON THE AVENUES SPECIAL: Take your cult of personality and shove it, Dear Leader.

February 19: ON THE AVENUES: I'd stop drinking, but I'm no quitter (the 2019 Gravity Head remix).

February 12: ON THE AVENUES: If it's about learning and knowledge, then by definition it's a Gahan Free Zone. You're welcome.

February 5: ON THE AVENUES: Our mayor hates non-elected boards -- except when they're his own, which is why "hypocrisy" is spelled G-A-H-A-N.

Plaid, chartreuse or aquamarine Friday, just not black, because economic oppression isn't entitled to its own language.

“Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation”
-- Angela Carter, novelist

Plaid Friday still exists.

The name Plaid Friday was conceived from the idea of weaving the individual threads of small businesses together to create a strong fabric that celebrates the diversity and creativity of independent businesses. Plaid Friday is the relaxing and enjoyable alternative to the big box store “Black Friday,” and is designed to promote both local and independently owned businesses during the holidays.

Plaid Friday was conceptualized in Oakland, CA, a city known for strong shop local campaigns. Plaid Friday strives to bring back the days when shopping for friends and family during the holidays was a pleasurable and leisurely activity.

There are many more small independent businesses in New Albany than in 2012, when I wrote the words that follow, way down below on this page.

At the time, some of us were laboring mightily to create an independent business alliance based on principle set forth by organizations like the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and the best local example right across the river: Louisville Independent Business Alliance.

Why? LIBA's mission statement explains.

The mission of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) is to preserve the unique community character of the Metro Louisville area by promoting locally-owned, independent businesses and to educate citizens on the value of purchasing locally. In order to pursue LIBA's mission, the organization will focus on:

• Informing citizens of the value provided by locally owned businesses, including their importance to the local economy, culture, and social fabric. The goal is to encourage area residents to view themselves as citizens -- as members of a community rather than merely as consumers.
• Offering group branding, promotion and advertising to LIBA members to elevate the individual and collective profiles of locally owned businesses in order to provide marketing and exposure advantages chains routinely enjoy.
• Creating strong relationships with local government and media in order to inform local decision-making and give voice to the locally owned independent business community, and to promote policies that support community-rooted enterprises.

Can locally-owned, independent, small and family-owned businesses compete and remain viable in an economy increasingly rigged to favor corporate players?

It's a good question, and there are a thousand potential answers, but there is a necessary condition to be fulfilled.

THESE BUSINESSES MUST BE UNIFIED AND THEY MUST ACT IN CONCERT.

We've never achieved this in New Albany. We've never come close. Independent operators seem to believe that someone else will represent their interests; perhaps local government, or Develop New Albany; maybe the Horseshoe Foundation, or the man in the moon.

Independent local businesses have invested hugely in the city. The scale of their investment dwarfs that of any of the preceding entities, but indies simply do not have clout commensurate with the sheer volume of their investments.

No one else is going to do it for indies. Indies have to do it themselves. Being informed is an absolute prerequisite. Here is what I wrote in 2012.

---

It's all about educating consumers, but this year more than ever before, it occurred to me that independent small business owners themselves also are prime beneficiaries of an ongoing educational component of any Buy Local campaign.

We can begin by rejecting alien terminology. Words actually matter. If you are a small indie business owner, or if you support the panoply of indie business concepts, you must recognize that "Black Friday" is adverse terminology. It is degrading materialist Big Box Speak, intended to inculcate a sense of mega-chain empowerment. Consider refraining from its usage next year, and train your employees to think and speak in like fashion.

Eventually, we'll retrain the nation, but we have to start somewhere: With ourselves. Language is a good start for revolution, don't you think?

Two way communications: Marcey explains why there'll be no Indie Fest in 2017, but leaves open the possibility of a comeback.

And as I know perhaps all too well, in order to "come back," one must first "go away."

My good friend Marcey Wisman-Bennett is to be commended for undertaking several difficult tasks at once.

For five years, Indie Fest has been a favored project, and it became something of a personal crusade for her. But now she's letting go, at least for the moment, and reassessing future prospects. In fractured times, this is eminently rational.

Moreover, Marcey thinks it important to explain to the event's fans why the decision to suspend Indie Fest was made, and to do so thoughtfully, without pointing fingers. In increasingly divided New Albany, that's eminently diplomatic.

It cannot be emphasized too strongly that when Indie Fest first was minted, it was to be a smaller part of a bigger entity. New Albany First would be the independent business association along the lines of LIBA in Louisville, and it would be a daily presence in the city. Once each year, NA First would stage Indie Fest as an exclamation mark.

It is beyond my aim today to document the myriad reasons why NA First withered and died, or to urge for the zillionth time that something like it be revived, because indies need to leverage their power as a unified force, and not be kept divided and manipulated from above.

Oops. Just did, didn't I?

The point is this: When NA First settled beneath the anchor-ridden mud flats, the festival's exclamation mark became the whole explanatory sentence, uncoupled from its mission and competing for funding along with countless other fests and events, but without the sort of local buy-in to be derived from the perceived benefits of the business association's daily operation.  

If Indie Fest is to be the reason for its own being, then it must be rethought, as Marcey clearly understands.

Once again, thanks to Marcey for respecting the intelligence of Indie Fest's supporters by leveling with them like adults. Contrast this stunningly mature approach with Team Gahan's perennially secretive disposition. I'm impressed that the reporter Grady added this coda:

Indie Fest is the second New Albany festival not to happen this year. The Boomtown Ball & Festival, which was organized by the city, failed to return for a fourth year in May.

When asked that month why the festival did not happen, Courtney Lewis, the City of New Albany’s director of outreach and engagement, did not give a reason, but confirmed that it wasn’t occurring. She did not say whether or not the event would return.

Communications.

So effortless for some, and so elusive for others.

New Albany's Indie Fest canceled for 2017 — but there's still hope, by Danielle Grady (Hanson Huckster's Almanac)

NEW ALBANY — New Albany’s Indie Fest isn’t happening this year, but its founder is optimistic about the future of the locally-focused festival.

Marcey Wisman-Bennett started Indie Fest in 2012 with New Albany First, an independent business alliance. The September festival was billed as a way to celebrate all things independent — from businesses to artists to musicians.

Indie Fest announced on its Facebook page on June 21 that it would not return in 2017.

ON THE AVENUES: There has never been a better time for an Independent Business Alliance in New Albany.

ON THE AVENUES: There has never been a better time for an Independent Business Alliance in New Albany.

A weekly column by Roger A. Baylor.

Before we begin, kindly indulge a relevant digression amid the Chronicles of New Gahania.

“Good morning, Mr. Baylor. How are you doing?”

“Well, I’m doing fine, and as soon as I deposit this pittance of a check, it will be time for another coffee, and maybe that will help a bit, at least until cocktail hour. Actually, you can make a pretty strong argument for cocktail hour almost any time of day, except you run into those pesky wee hours when the bars are all closed, but that’s why sensible folks keep their liquor cabinets stocked at home, because your living room never closes. Flasks are even better. They keep your libation of choice toasty and close, and did you know that flasks were popularized during Prohibition? That’s right, we needed a 13-year-long flask to maintain harmony until the bars reopened after Repeal. Hell, we still do. If it was up to me, we’d have a museum about Prohibition, and force the school kids to go. Until then, there’s always cold beer and hot tickets.”

“You’re all set. Have a great day, Mr. Baylor.”

---

Last week, I glanced in the general direction of Develop New Albany and suggested DNA begin healing itself by heeding the relaunch of National Main Street’s Four Point approach.

ON THE AVENUES: DNA, National Main Street, the Four Points, and how it might yet be possible to get this thing right for once.

After all, isn't cooperation a two-way street?

One of these points has to do with economic vitality, and in the New Albanian sense, economic vitality almost entirely has to do with independent locally-owned small businesses.

This week on Tuesday there was another merchant mixer meeting, and as has been the case so many times in the past – in fact, as it occurs each time I attend a merchant mixer meeting – I couldn’t help observing that in the context of downtown New Albany's ongoing revitalization, the effort has been led almost entirely by independent locally-owned small businesses, as well as a cadre of local developers and builders.

Yes, there are caveats aplenty. New Albany’s revitalization is imperfect and incomplete, but insofar as humans have returned to a once deserted downtown, it’s because independent locally-owned small businesses have taken the risks, invested, and transformed New Albany from a metro Louisville punch line into something different.

How different, and whether the results are sustainable, constitute the next huge hurdle. You’re entitled to my opinion, so here it is.

Independent locally-owned small businesses are mistaken to think that this hurdle can be cleared by disengagement, or by waiting for this or any other city government to dictate the terms.

Rather, independent locally-owned small business owners must evade the intended diversion of time spent micromanaging periodic events and instead put their mouths where their money is by heeding the advice of the American Independent Business Alliance and embracing a simple but eloquent truth: "There truly is strength in numbers."

AMIBA's characterization of the situation follows. If you own a business or know someone who does, please read and share it.

Because Community Matters

Think of your favorite shop, restaurant, farm or service provider. We’ll bet it’s a homegrown business. Independent locally-owned businesses are essential to a vital local economy and community character. They’re where the locals go. They’re owned by our friends and neighbors, or maybe even by you.

Community-serving businesses are the backbone of local economies, civic life, local charities, and wealth creation for millions of citizens, as well as a training ground for future generations of entrepreneurs.

Problem: Today, independent businesses face unprecedented competition from larger chain competitors, internet merchants and franchises that enjoy national or international branding power and major economies of scale. As a result, community-based businesses comprise a smaller portion of our economy than ever before. We’ll lose much more than places to shop, dine or do business if we allow current trends to continue.

A Proven Solution: Many cities and towns have discovered a model, pioneered by the staff of the American Independent Business Alliance, to counter these trends successfully and help local entrepreneurs thrive. More than 85 communities in North America now boast Independent Business Alliances to unite independent businesses across all sectors, along with concerned citizens to build vibrant, durable local economies. AMIBA can help you use our models to implement an effective buy local campaign, pass pro-local public policies, facilitate effective collaboration among local businesses and more. There truly is strength in numbers. Learn more about benefits of AMIBA affiliation or the four realms of IBA work. You’ll love what an IBA can do for your business or community!

---

Readers with long memories will recall that six or seven years ago, there began an effort to form an independent business alliance under the auspices of AMIBA. It was called New Albany First.

Currently, New Albany First is as defunct as Monty Python’s infamous parrot, and because the organization failed to gain traction, some will conclude that the principles it espoused also have been discredited.

I strongly disagree. To the contrary, I’m here to suggest that these principles are more important than ever before.

When it comes to power, a vacuum is a condition waiting to be filled. In New Albany, with local government barely a blip on the chart as it pertains to support for independent locally-owned small business development, groups like DNA and One Southern Indiana seek to fill a vacuum created by the inexplicable, ongoing inability of independent local small business owners to organize themselves, to advance their economic interests as a bloc, and to take seriously their potential power as such a purpose-built collective.

If business owners are content to outsource this clout to an organization, then shouldn’t it be an organization whose primary purpose is to advance the clout of business owners?

However, there is no reason why a New Albany Independent Business Alliance (for a model, think LIBA, the Louisville Independent Business Alliance) could not exist in cooperation with DNA’s economic vitality mission, as a component of what NMS now refers to as “cross-cutting Community Transformation Strategies." Genuine possibilities exist, but before they're leveraged, a level of clarity must be attained. This will take longer than hour-long meetings, once each month.

As for the legacy of New Albany First, we should be able to chalk it up to experience, and learn from our mistakes, but I’m less concerned with organizational details as I am with making the most important point of all to New Albany’s independent local small business owners.

Independent locally-owned small businesses have driven New Albany’s revitalization, and yet in terms of decision-making, the reins are nowhere close to the hands of the folks who’ve done the work.

Why do we not insist on input commensurate with our achievements?

---

August 11: ON THE AVENUES: DNA, National Main Street, the Four Points, and how it might yet be possible to get this thing right for once.

August 4: ON THE AVENUES: Federal funding mechanisms total eighty percent. The other half is unalloyed political malice.

July 28: ON THE AVENUES: An imaginary exercise tentatively called The Curmudgeon Free House.

July 21: ON THE AVENUES: We have our own Big Four Bridge. They’re called Main, Market, Spring and Elm.

July 14: ON THE AVENUES: Weeds, porch appliances and our civic Gospel of Appearances.

New Albany 1st, now somewhere in Asia -- but pendulums have a way of swinging.

As the screenshot illustrates, NA 1st's web site has fallen under Oriental control. The Facebook page offered a handful of updates in 2015, but overall, I think it's safe to say that the organization is moribund.

New Albany First is the only Independent Business Alliance that exists solely to support and promote independent business owners and to educate community members about the importance of buying locally in New Albany and Floyd County.

This isn't to be construed as criticism. Rather, it's about determination.

One of the recurring conundrums of such an organization is that it depends on the efforts of the very people who have the least time to pursue them. This ball was kept in the air for a long time, and mirroring the experiences of individuals resolving to quit smoking or lose weight, it sometimes requires multiple efforts amid changing circumstances.

The good news is that New Albany IndieFest, itself an offshoot of NA 1st, is building a board and seeking status as a 501(c)3. In my opinion, it may be possible eventually for roles to be reversed, and the indie biz ethos to be disseminated from IndieFest.

It also is conceivable that should Develop New Albany return to its original purpose as a National Main Street organization, its economic restructuring arm might function as indie advocate.

However, the very first necessary element is for independent business owners to grasp the utility of unity for a common purpose. Perhaps New Albany isn't unusual, though it seems that here, there is a perennial unwillingness to understand that independence is furthered through the strength of the collective, especially when the clout of the economic forces resisting independence is greater.

I'm an optimist, and believe unity will occur. Given the challenges on the horizon, let's hope "now" arrives soon.

The monthly merchant group meeting is Tuesday, January 19 at the Elks Lodge.

NABC supports Plaid Friday, and here's why.

NABC is a founding member of New Albany First, which is our city’s independent business association (IBA). It is the New Albany version of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA), which encourages you to Keep Louisville Weird, and is dedicated to encouraging the public to support independently owned, small local businesses.

IBAs accomplish this through three primary focus areas:

1. Public education about the greater overall value local independents often can provide (even when they are not the cheapest) as well as the vital economic, social and cultural role independent businesses play in the community.

2. Facilitating cooperative promotion, advertising, purchasing, sharing of skills and resources and other activities to help local businesses gain economies of scale and compete more effectively.

3. Creating a strong and uncompromised voice to speak for local independents in the local government and media while engaging citizens in guiding the future of their community through democratic action.

NABC and our brethren sink or swim as locally oriented independents, and many of us have pledged support via New Albany First. Happily, the approaching holiday season provides a perfect opportunity to put principles into action.

We all know that “Black Friday” (November 29) is the biggest sales day of the year for big boxes and multinational chain stores -- the ones where the money promptly flees town for corporate headquarters worldwide. In response to media hype and saturation advertising, which steer so much trade to the country's biggest, richest and largest companies on “Black Friday,” the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), of which New Albany First is a member, promotes Shift Your Shopping, of which Plaid (as opposed to Black) Friday is a component.

Instead of Black Friday it’s PLAID FRIDAY! Shift Your Shopping and wear plaid as you shop on Friday to remind yourself and others to make the 10% Shift. The 10% Shift encourages you to shift 10% of your holiday purchases from non-local businesses to Local Independents (also called indies or locally owned and independent businesses). Making the shift to local independents is one way we can build sustainable economies and create jobs in our local community.

It’s simple. You're not being asked to go cold turkey -- just allocate a percentage to independent local businesses, and learn what they can do for you. New Albany First and LIBA can help locate indies. Local independent business thank you for your support.

Reposted from the NABC web site. I'm doing DNA's job for them v.v. two-way streets; might as well serve as the mouthpiece of the IBA while I'm at it. Just joking. I think.

Indie Fest is today. Use it to reflect on whether we'll be able to get better.

Today is volume two of Indie Fest, and perhaps a time to pause and reflect. Questions and comments are many and varied.

• Is the local indie business community making progress toward unity? 
• How many local indie business people truly grasp the importance of street grid issues in furthering better conditions for business? 
• What has the city done in 2013 (i.e., marketing) to empower local indie businesses? 
• Are we ever going to address the iniquities of enforcement as they pertain to downtown parking? 
• Acknowledging that One Southern Indiana is as useless as ever, has Develop New Albany turned a corner and placed itself in a better position to, well, take positions? 

I could go on. You may have your own questions. The following was written in March, 2012.

No, I will not shut up, but thanks for the hint. Now, for more on the necessity of independent business empowerment.

Most of us accept that when it comes to power, a vacuum is a condition waiting to be filled. It almost always is.

In New Albany, with local government barely a blip on the chart, both Develop New Albany and One Southern Indiana (the latter to a lesser extent) exist to fill the vacuum created by the inexplicable, ongoing refusal of independent local business owners to organize themselves, to advance their economic interests as a bloc, and to take seriously their potential power as such a purpose-built collective.

"Kate Caufield completes a year-long ‘buy local’ challenge."

It's about overlapping circles and a steady process of shifting.

Weird for a week? Scratch that… Kate Caufield completes a year-long ‘buy local’ challenge, by Melissa Chipman (Insider Louisville)

Just as I embarked on my “buy local” weeklong challenge, Kate Caufield was wrapping up hers.

On June 30, 2013, Caufield, president of New Albany First, finished up not a just a week, but a whole year of buying local.

Here was her mental checklist for every purchase: “Can I buy it at an independently owned store in New Albany? In Jeffersonville? Can I get it at a locally-owned franchise in New Albany? In Jeffersonville? Can I buy it at an independently-owned store in Louisville? Locally-owned franchise in Louisville?”

DNA, NA 1st, trust, verification, and boy, I'm in a cynical mood this morning.

I've received information from Develop New Albany, but first, let's turn to Wikipedia for valuable interpretive advice.

Trust, but verify

Trust, but verify is a form of advice given which recommends that while a source of information might be considered reliable, one should perform additional research to verify that such information is accurate, or trustworthy. The term was a signature phrase adopted and made famous by U.S. president Ronald Reagan. Reagan frequently used it when discussing U.S. relations with the Soviet Union. The phrase was originated by Russian leader Vladimir Lenin.

The phrase was learned by Reagan from Suzanne Massie, a writer on Russia. She told Reagan, "The Russians like to talk in proverbs. It would be nice of you to know a few. You are an actor – you can learn them very quickly". The original Russian proverb is a short rhyme which states, Доверяй, но проверяй (doveryai, no proveryai).

After Reagan used the phrase at the signing of the INF Treaty, his counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev responded: "You repeat that at every meeting," to which Reagan answered "I like it."

There is a "Be Local" expo on April 1, ostensibly as co-sponsored by Develop New Albany and New Albany First ... and detente's fine by me. It could be worse. One Southern Indiana's "Think Local" abomination could be part of the mix.

Vendors must pay $50 to display, and there's nothing wrong with that, except that it's "$75 for non-members," and so perhaps some verification is on order: Are these classes of membership and non-membership  applicable to DNA, NA1st, or both?

What about my forthcoming new downtown business alliance, which is to be called the Pants Down Eat Me Axis of Unaffiliated Bastard Children?

Hmm, does it say somewhere in the fine print that we pay $150? I don't care about the damned money ... I just want official credit for paying it.

---

New Albany's "Be Local" Expo - April 2nd:

Develop New Albany and New Albany 1st invite you to participate in the 2013 "Be Local" Expo. The Be Local Expo is a business Expo and celebration of our locally owned New Albany Area Businesses. If you would like to register as a vendor for this event please see the registration form below. The event will be held this year at the Calumet Club Bliss Ballroom. Admission is free. Come out on April 2nd and get to know your locally owned New Albany Business community!

2013 Be Local Expo Vendor Application

Free NA1st seminar on Thursday is "The ISBDC: Our Hidden Gem For No Cost Business Resources."

Now equipped with wine, via River City Winery. Learn more about New Albany First here.

The ISBDC: Our Hidden Gem For No Cost Business Resources

The nonprofit Southeast Indiana Small Business Development Center exists for one reason: Small business success.

Come join us to discover all of the resources available to you as a small business owner for absolutely no cost that could increase your marketing reach, help identify process mistakes, solidify your strategic direction, and increase your profit margin.

Wine and food will be available for purchase. Come network with other New Albany First members and guests while learning about the free business resources that can help your business succeed.

Plaid Friday 2: "Holidays test Indiana woman's 'buy local' strategy."

Seems like we were here just yesterday. We wuz ... we wuz here yesterday: "Buy thoughtfully and support our entrepreneurs and community businesses."

There's thoughtful, and then there's ...

But let's go back to thoughtful. Kate's in the newspaper.

Holidays test Indiana woman's 'buy local' strategy, by Jere Downs (Courier-Journal)

In June, Kate Caufield traded her routine of shopping at Kohl’s, Target and Kroger with meals at Subway or McDonald’s for a “buy local” habit. Christmas shopping, however, has tested that mission while she strives to find gifts first from homegrown sources in and around New Albany.

Locally owned food sources include Rainbow Blossom. Clothing has been purchased from Mariposa Fine Consignments on Pearl Street, while coffee comes from Quills on Market Street. Salon Strandz is nearby on Vincennes Street for hair care and makeup.

Then the holidays arrived, which has been an extra challenge with two children, ages 6 and 9, and family members not invested in the idea of meeting all their needs via local merchants.

Black is out: Indie shopping is in, and Plaid Friday is November 23.

NABC is a founding member of New Albany First, which is our city’s independent business association (IBA). It is the New Albany version of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA), which encourages you to Keep Louisville Weird), and is dedicated to encouraging the public to support independently owned, small local businesses.

IBAs accomplish this through three primary focus areas:

1. Public education about the greater overall value local independents often can provide (even when they are not the cheapest) as well as the vital economic, social and cultural role independent businesses play in the community.

2. Facilitating cooperative promotion, advertising, purchasing, sharing of skills and resources and other activities to help local businesses gain economies of scale and compete more effectively.

3. Creating a strong and uncompromised voice to speak for local independents in the local government and media while engaging citizens in guiding the future of their community through democratic action.

NABC and our brethren sink or swim as locally oriented independents, and many of us have pledged support via New Albany First. Happily, the approaching holiday season provides a perfect opportunity to put principles into action.

We all know that “Black Friday” (November 23) is the biggest sales day of the year for big boxes and multinational chain stores -- the ones where the money flees town for corporate headquarters worldwide. In response to media hype and saturation advertising, which steer so much trade to the country's biggest, richest and largest companies on “Black Friday,” the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), of which New Albany First is a member, promotes Shift Your Shopping, of which Plaid (as opposed to Black) Friday is a component.

Instead of Black Friday it’s PLAID FRIDAY! Shift Your Shopping and wear plaid as you shop on Friday to remind yourself and others to make the 10% Shift. The 10% Shift encourages you to shift 10% of your holiday purchases from non-local businesses to Local Independents (also called indies or locally owned and independent businesses). Making the shift to local independents is one way we can build sustainable economies and create jobs in our local community.

It’s simple. You're not being asked to go cold turkey -- just allocate a percentage to independent local businesses, and learn what they can do for you. New Albany First can help locate indies, and another good idea is to follow the "buy local" answer woman, Kate Caufield, whose blog is devoted precisely to this topic: New Albany 365. Local independent business thank you for your support.

Note: Plaid Friday is part of NABC's annual slate of activities around Thanksgiving. For more details, go here.

New Albany First's Indiefest, coming Saturday, September 22.

(The following was submitted by NA First. For more information on the concurrent Southern Indiana Craft Beer Showcase, go here)

Dear New Albany First members and supporters,

As you may already know, on September 22, 2012 New Albany First will hold its first annual Indiefest in the 400 block of East Bank Street. Indiefest will feature local artists exhibiting original work, food from local restaurants, local craft beer and local bands.

All proceeds from the event will be used by New Albany First to continue our mission of supporting and promoting independent local businesses, and educating the public on the importance of ‘keeping it local’ by buying from independent businesses in New Albany and Floyd County.

Since this is an entertainment venue, some business members may not decide to exhibit, but New Albany First will still provide a table to distribute material from your organization. Respond to this email if you have literature to display and a New Albany First member will pick it up for you and display it at the Indiefest.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the New Albany Indiefest, 2-10 pm, on Saturday, September 22.

Note that two applications are available for participants: An application for artists interested in exhibiting, and an application for any local, independent business that wishes to promote itself at the event. Please consider participating, and forward applications to anyone you think may be interested. To get Word docs of these applications, ask here: newalbanyfirst@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Kate Caufield, President

www.na1st.org

Independently New Albany: Next NA1st small business seminar is June 12.

It's another informative seminar from New Albany First, which at last glance was NOT using its Twitter feed to sell/lease downtown real estate.

The "be local." seminar series returns with Brandon Smith of Faith Ingle Smith LLC

7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12

Join us as Brandon Smith of Faith Ingle Smith LLC presents “Cookie Jars and Banana Peels: Law and Insurance Basics for Small Business,” in the upstairs meeting room at River City Winery.

Video of the "Be Local" expo earlier this week.

Oops. I don't know what I was thinking. Here's the video:

World classics of bureaucratic evasiveness: DNA's 2010 tolling "position" announcement.

NA 1st's position on bridge tolls is much appreciated in the indie business community, which a full year and a half later still looks to the self-endowed, self-described local revitalization leaders for leadership. And, a year and a half later, pins drop, crickets chirp, and somewhere, a beaten cur moans in pompous resignation.

Develop New Albany releases statement regarding bridge tolls.

We support the success of downtown merchants.

Develop New Albany will continue to observe the progress of the construction of new bridges and the proposal for tolls on existing bridges and release statements as they pertain to the economic development of the historic business corridors. The organization is a tax exempt charitable organization and IRS rules state Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. As a non-political organization we are in favor of anything that supports the success of New Albany business owners and favor policy that advances economic development. We encourage a transparent effort on the part of the Bridge Authority and political leaders.

This Corporation was organized with the mission to promote and encourage the economic revitalization and historic preservation of downtown New Albany. Therefore, actions that contribute to these goals have been, and will be, welcomed by Develop New Albany. Actions that are a detriment to these goals have not been, and will not be, welcomed by Develop New Albany.

Develop New Albany: Develop New Albany, Inc. is a non-profit organization composed of local businesses and community volunteers. Develop New Albany is committed to the economic revitalization and historic preservation of Downtown New Albany. Develop New Albany proactively markets New Albany to organizations and businesses to encourage the continued renaissance of Downtown New Albany.

Develop New Albany Contact:
Mike Kopp, President

New Albany First's newsletter for April includes condemnation of bridge tolls.

(Submitted ... is it April, or May?)

It's been a busy few weeks for us here at New Albany First. The AMIBA national conference was held in Louisville at the end of March and what an amazing experience for anyone who had the chance to go. Experts in so many different areas relating to independent businesses and IBAs were on hand, the topics were stimulating and those in attendance left the conference with a renewed enthusiasm for the future of indie businesses in New Albany.

We have a couple of events upcoming that we hope that you'll be able to attend, including the "Be Local" Business Expo held in conjunction with Develop New Albany. Add to that a couple of summer seminars and a plan that is brewing for the summer...it figures to be a really exciting time for NA 1st and supporters.
Have ideas for how New Albany First can best serve your business? Let us know at info@na1st.org and let's start a discussion. We're also asking that our members spread the word about New Albany First to other business owners and individuals. While the board has worked hard in building our membership base, a few words from current members would be appreciated.

Be Local.

The AMIBA national conference is over but the ideas and enthusiasm will remain long after. Along with learning new, innovative ways to market NA 1st and ideas for membership growth, we also got to network with other groups and hope to even form a regional association with both established and new IBAs from Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. You'll be hearing more about what we all learned in the coming weeks and months.

A huge thank you goes to Jennifer Rubenstein of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance for all her work in organizing this event. We were fortunate that we also got to play a role in the planning stages, but Jennifer's commitment was incredible. We also want to thank her and LIBA for their continued support and well-timed advice for New Albany First.

The "Be Local" Business Expo will be held on Tuesday, May 1st in conjunction with Develop New Albany. Local businesses will have booths set up for the public to browse through between 4pm and 7pm. Booth rental for NA 1st members is $50, non-members is $75. If you're not a member of NA 1st and want to join, we'll give you a $25 discount on your membership when you sign up for a booth at the Expo.

To learn more contact Stefanie Griffith at stefanie@strandzandthreadz.com or call 502.645.6256

Last month, the New Albany First board of directors asked the business membership for their thoughts on the issue of tolling the bridges connecting southern Indiana with Kentucky. It was a unanimous decision from those who responded and the text of the statement released by the board follows:

"Recently, New Albany First polled its membership regarding the possibility of tolls being placed on new and existing Ohio River bridges. We asked if our members thought the tolls would have a negative effect on businesses in Southern Indiana, specifically independent businesses.

"Based on feedback from our members and from our board of directors, New Albany First opposes tolling of any Ohio River bridges, especially the I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge, which is a direct conduit to New Albany. We believe our local independent businesses, especially retail and dining venues, will be negatively impacted by tolls on these bridges."

We thank everyone who responded to our question and provided comments as to why they feel tolls will have an adverse effect on our local, indie businesses.

Let's welcome our newest business members:

Earth's Art
Creative Boutique
Jimmy's Music Center
Feast BBQ
The Dandy Lion

Thanks to them for joining, and to learn more about these businesses check out our "Members" section at www.na1st.org.

(NAC editor's note: Five exclamation marks were excised from the preceding by means of the handy OveruseBot)

Some weekend housekeeping.

The NA 1st link finally has appeared at the city's web site, providing an answer to the question we asked here: Does it really take months to add a link?

And then there's the Emery ice cream building, finally coming off the blocks -- neither to become the new home of City Hall, as advocated by ex-council person Steve Price, nor to be hoisted into place as penthouse suite, but to be relocated at the emerging Urban Fusion Community Garden.

After years of negligence, the people at Williams Plumbing have started re-wrapping their dilapidated building in fresh new vinyl. Now we'll see if they continue to park their commercial vehicles to obstruct sight lines on Spring Street.

It took a few weeks, but the stump hole has been filled with a sapling, as discussed in this posting: Halfway there. Next?

Appropriate thanks to all involved with making these things happen.

Does it really take months to add a link?

Or does the time required to make a simple change have something to do with push-back from the usual endowed suspects at you-know-where? The city's doing a better job of communicating, to be sure, but too much of the communication to date is one-way only (for instance, has anyone else tried to interact with the city's Twitter and Facebook accounts?) As for the web site, in short, an organization is missing:

New Albany First featured in "New Albany NOW" city video.

Of course, the city's "New Albany Now" is supposed to end with an exclamation point, as every other thought or sentence apparently must do these days.

New Albany First at Facebook

New Albany First web site