Again: "Buy thoughtfully and support our entrepreneurs and community businesses."

Originally published here on November 22, 2012.

Black Friday's a hard habit to break, I imagine. Not unlike smoking cigarettes, although for me, it's a bad habit I never began. "Cold turkey" may be an appropriate Thanksgiving analogy, but it isn't the most apt.

Shift happens.

Begin thinking about your expenditures by devoting a percentage of them to small independent businesses. Shift as you can, and shift where you can. Gradual shifting is just fine. Plaid Friday, not black.

And so on.

That Day After Thanksgiving,by Kate Caufield (New Albany 365)

... But part of understanding ourselves and our role in the local and national economy is realizing the impact of our buying habits. Where we spend our money determines much about how the country moves forward, and how we treat our workforce- as well as which political and moral causes get funded by the corporations where we shop. I don't want to create a political divide by assigning attributes to either side, but there are some really strong cases for bipartisan support of indie and small businesses. If we buy cheaply made items from another country at a mass discount at a mega chain, then that's what we'll continue to get. If we buy thoughtfully and support our entrepreneurs and community businesses, that's what will begin to thrive.

"If globalization is the hallmark of today’s mainstream economy, relocalization is the hallmark of the alternative."

Photo credit: Community Matters

"The plan to build better, more connected, flourishing communities is here—and it won’t require putting a Starbucks on every block."

It's funny the authors should mention Starbucks, seeing as I'd just mentioned the coffee giant on social media.

Rather than becoming aesthetically outraged by the cookie cutter chains (Starbucks hates Jesus, Chick-fil-A is anti-gay) why not ignore the distractions and come to the point: They're bad for your community economically. Follow the money, not the matador's cape. Independent local businesses are better for the local economy. More money stays here and recirculates. When you shift spending to the local economy, you're making a genuine difference. To repeat: Follow the money ... and death to chains. Enjoy your Monday.

A good discussion followed, which did not neglect oft-noted expressions of dissent, with varying degrees of relevance: "But I like chains," and "big companies create jobs and give back, too," and "localism is the new mercantilism."

Subsequently, Jeff G helpfully pointed to the following article, which outlines the parameters of a localist's alternative. It's what I was saying throughout the mayoral campaign, albeit nowhere near as clearly as stated here. It's what we've discussed for years in the context of organizations like AMIBA and writers such as Michael Shuman.

Excerpts are provided below, but PLEASE CLICK THROUGH AND READ THE ARTICLE IN ITS ENTIRETY, especially if you're an independent local business owner. Nothing can be done to change the fact that we've just now re-elected a cadre of politicians and functionaries willfully ignorant of these principles, but even they cannot impede our progress at a grassroots level if -- it's a big "if" -- we decide to unify, organize and bypass them.

I've underlined a few key passages.

7 Paths to Development That Bring Neighborhoods Wealth, Not Gentrification, by Marjorie Kelly and Sarah McKinley (Yes Magazine)

In cities across the nation, a few enjoy rising affluence while many struggle to get by.

An August 2015 study by The Century Foundation reported that—after a dramatic decline in concentrated poverty between 1990 and 2000—poverty has since reconcentrated. Nationwide, the number of people living in high-poverty ghettos and slums has nearly doubled since 2000. This situation is created in part by the practices of traditional economic development, which prioritize corporate subsidy after corporate subsidy over the needs of the local economy. Current trends threaten to worsen, unless we can answer the design challenge before us.

Can we create an economic system—beginning at the local level—that builds the wealth and prosperity of everyone?

Economic development professionals and mayors are working in partnership with foundations, anchor institutions, unions, community organizations, progressive business networks, workers, and community residents. What’s emerging is a systems approach to creating an inclusive, sustainable economy where all can thrive. The work is place-based, fed by the power of anchor institutions, and built on locally rooted and broadly held ownership. It’s about building community wealth across the United States—in more places than most would imagine, a new kind of economy is beginning to appear. It’s an economy that, because of its fundamental design, tends naturally to create inclusion and prosperity for many, not simply for the few.

1. Place
2. Ownership
3. Multipliers
4. Collaboration
5. Inclusion
6. Workforce
7. System

The seven drivers of community wealth building work together. Starting with a devotion to a place, this approach builds on local assets of many kinds. At the heart of it all is an inclusive focus on the needs of low-income families, people of color, and those with barriers to employment. The end goal is a new system that helps broadly held community wealth to flourish.

ON THE AVENUES: As a journalist and entrepreneur, I’m not tired of the “Buy Local” argument. Not at all.

ON THE AVENUES: As a journalist and entrepreneur, I’m not tired of the “Buy Local” argument. Not at all.

A weekly web column by Roger A. Baylor.

Back in 2010, one of my locally-written columns for the Alabama-owned newspaper, which these days is “local” primarily to Jeffersonville alone, asked the question, “Can ‘shift happen’ in New Albany, too?”

(Those scraping, clanking, stevedore sounds you hear are CNHI wagons being circled. It’s the one tip they never, ever miss.)

But have no fear; today’s essay has nothing whatever to do with newspapers, because it’s all about localism – and by virtue of its corporate ownership, the newspaper simply ain’t. With your indulgence, I’d like to revisit my 2010 piece, with a few relevant updates.

---

In the better (craft) beer business, we have creatively adapted an old activist mantra to suit our specific circumstances: “Think globally, drink locally.”

American “craft” beer is a locally brewed adult beverage. It is not to be confused with mass-produced, conceptually derivative swill from multinational manufacturing corporations like AB InBev or MillerCoors, which currently seek to foist the word “craft” on unsuspecting drinkers via misleading marketing tactics that might make Moons appear Blue, and cause even Herr Goebbels to cringe.

Genuine American “craft” beer is best consumed locally, with folks who share the vision and dream the dream, and as a locally loyal revolutionary, I do my fair share of sampling. Indeed, quality control is a never-ending task. To my delight and edification, the ongoing revival of downtown New Albany allows me to drink local beer quite locally – when merited, copiously – and still walk home afterward in a physically beneficial and socially responsible manner.

In fact, my family’s decision in 2003 to buy the midtown house we currently occupy was consciously calibrated with drinking, dining, walking and bicycling in mind. Mind you, this was before there was much of anything downtown to walk or bike to. Local independent businesses have rectified the situation, largely without governmental subsidies of the sort generally fluffing Chain Land. It’s enough to gladden a tea partier’s heart -- if you can pull him away from the culinary glories of Chick-fil-A.

You see, it wasn’t “luck” that enables my strolling and biking. It was planning, stemming from solid, traditional, locally-based principles of life indigenous to urban areas originally built for precisely these same purposes. At one time such notions were the accepted norm. Now they are being rediscovered by New Albany’s residents old and new, and the city’s rising indie business community.

“Thinking globally” provides wonderful insights into successful strategies pursued in differing environments. As an example, in 2010 my family reunion was held in Concord, Massachusetts, and during the course of rooming, dining and watering options in the Boston metropolitan area, we chose to stay in Somerville, a community just to the north of downtown Boston.

Apparently, such is the taste for Somerville self-identity (of course, the city’s residents still cheer for the Red Sox) that it has a “buy local first” movement: Somerville Local First. Consider the way that Somerville’s business community defines its mission.

Overview: There is a movement coming....a return to local and the emergence of sustainable economies. We're at the epicenter....Shift Happens

Mission: Somerville Local First, formed in March 2008, is a network of locally owned and independent businesses to build a robust Somerville economy and a vibrant community.

We accomplish this by:

-Organizing a Somerville Local First campaign that raises the awareness of customers, businesses, and government agencies regarding the benefits of purchasing from locally owned businesses.

-Implementing programs and discounts that reduce the cost of doing business for locally-owned businesses. Bringing together independent businesses for mutual benefit and networking opportunities.

-Supporting Somerville ordinances and regulations that promote locally owned businesses.

-Collaborating to deliver programs to help local businesses become greener in their business operations.

Products: Organizing, supporting, strengthening and promoting locally-owned, independent businesses in Somerville, MA. Educating customers about the benefits of shopping locally.

www.facebook.com/SomervilleLocalFirst

New Albany’s locally-minded group is called New Albany First, with goals mirroring Somerville’s. Across the river is the older, more established Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA). LIBA’s goal of keeping Louisville “weird” in a sense of uniqueness and independent ownership is shared by many businesses on the Indiana side of the river.

Glancing to the east, beyond the Interstate-driven, exhaust-perfumed franchise purgatory of Clarksville, another “buy local first” model also exists. Jeffersonville Main Street actively seeks to organize its business community, and wastes no opportunity to espouse these core “buy local first” principles. On the other hand, New Albany’s main street organization, Develop New Albany, openly concedes that it would gaily promote Wal-Mart if Wally World coughed up the requisite membership fee. That’s horrid, if pathetically typical of a what happens in the absence of principle.

Why does any of this matter? The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (www.ilsr.org) offers these ten vital commandments. The sooner New Albany grasps them, the better, but slowly, the shift indeed is happening.

1. Protect Local Character and Prosperity
New Albany is unlike any other city in the world. By choosing to support locally owned businesses, you help maintain New Albany’s diversity and distinctive flavor.

2. Community Well-Being
Locally owned businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, linking neighbors, and by contributing more to local causes.

3. Local Decision Making
Local ownership means that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions.

4. Keeping Dollars in the Local Economy
Your dollars spent in locally-owned businesses have three times the impact on your community as dollars spent at national chains. When shopping locally, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more city services through sales tax, invest in neighborhood improvement and promote community development.

5. Job and Wages
Locally owned businesses create more jobs locally and, in some sectors, provide better wages and benefits than chains do.

6. Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship fuels America’s economic innovation and prosperity, and serves as a key means for families to move out of low-wage jobs and into the middle class.

7. Public Benefits and Costs
Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

8. Environmental Sustainability
Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers-which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

9. Competition
A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.

10. Product Diversity
A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based, not on a national sales plan, but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

Who could ever tire of localism when localism makes so much sense?

"Buy thoughtfully and support our entrepreneurs and community businesses."

Black Friday's a hard habit to break, I imagine. Not unlike smoking cigarettes, although for me, it's a bad habit I never began. "Cold turkey" may be an appropriate Thanksgiving analogy, but it isn't the most apt. Shift happens. Begin thinking about your expenditures by devoting a percentage of them to small independent businesses. Shift as you can, and shift where you can. Gradual shifting is just fine. Plaid Friday, not black. And so on.

That Day After Thanksgiving,by Kate Caufield (New Albany 365)

... But part of understanding ourselves and our role in the local and national economy is realizing the impact of our buying habits. Where we spend our money determines much about how the country moves forward, and how we treat our workforce- as well as which political and moral causes get funded by the corporations where we shop. I don't want to create a political divide by assigning attributes to either side, but there are some really strong cases for bipartisan support of indie and small businesses. If we buy cheaply made items from another country at a mass discount at a mega chain, then that's what we'll continue to get. If we buy thoughtfully and support our entrepreneurs and community businesses, that's what will begin to thrive.

Gonder on "rebuilding the infrastructure of a vital, functional, and sustainable economy."

Councilman Gonder keeps getting it right.

Here and Now

New Albany owes much to those who are actively engaged in reshaping our local economy through the local production of goods, and to those independently offering goods and services, such businesses build a strong foundation for our economy. We owe it to them to support their efforts and to help those who would promote their efforts. The Kia girl on TV talks of the "new economy". The new economy is local, and in that direction lies the new prosperity. It's not just about the money.

"New Albany is a city of entrepreneurs": That's why New Albany First is needed.

Andy's eloquent letter speaks for itself. Before I turn it over to him, permit this reminder about the many conceptually unified events tomorrow evening: Art and beer and localism, all at the same time.

---

(This is a letter to the editor I wrote and submitted to the Tribune, but it doesn't appear that it will get printed before Jeff Milchen's visit. I decided to post it here instead.)

New Albany is a city of entrepreneurs. That's the base idea that New Albany First, New Albany's Independent Business Alliance, uses as our foundation. An independent business alliance is not just a "buy local" organization although educating the public on the benefits of supporting locally-owned, independent businesses is a primary goal. An IBA is an organized group of entrepreneurs banding together to raise awareness, promote education and foster an atmosphere of working together to make their community better.

As New Albany First organized, we realized that one way we could help was by hosting seminars and speakers that could promote the importance of localism and encourage prospective independent business owners. In recent weeks, we've started a seminar series with local business owners telling their stories, good and bad, and explaining their passion for what they do. The conversation has been fascinating and we will continue that conversation in the coming months.

We're also bringing in Jeff Milchen, the co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA). Jeff will be giving a talk on Friday night, October 28th starting at 7 pm at the River City Winery in New Albany. He'll be speaking about the importance of localism with a question and answer session to follow. Then, on Saturday morning the 29th at 10:00 am, Milchen will present his workshop "Strength in Numbers" which will look at how organized IBA's and other groups can work in their community. If you intend to come to the workshop, we urge you to also attend Friday night's talk as both events work in conjunction. Both events are free and open to the public.

On behalf of the board of directors for New Albany First, we're very pleased to be able to bring Jeff to New Albany, especially now when localism has become such a hot topic in our area. We hope to see many of our fellow southern Indiana residents attend. New Albany is a city of entrepreneurs. We at New Albany First urge you to think about that and to "be local.".

Andy Terrell
Director, New Albany First

Korten: "It starts with a defective system that cannot be fixed. It has to be replaced."

We either have the courage or we don't. It's complicated, and yet that simple.

Crashers aside, it's even better that DRC is not Office Depot.

News and Tribune editorial board swiftly embraces localism.

Our newspaper expedites, and offers the major themes of cracked bridge as community building opportunity, not faux "disaster."

OUR OPINION: Let’s make the best of the bridge bummer, by the News and Tribune editorial board of Publisher Bill Hanson, Editor Shea Van Hoy and Assistant Editors Amy Huffman-Branham and Chris Morris

... Hoosiers have a chance to help each other out by being courteous and helpful — and by spending money at local businesses.

Let’s treat this like the warnings during winter weather — don’t go out unless you have to, but alter it to “don’t go to Louisville unless you must.”

Take stress off the bridges and yourself and see what Southern Indiana has to offer.

For more on yesterday's special meeting:

New Albany business leaders hope for tradeoff during bridge's closure, by Harold J. Adams at the Courier-Journal.

It’s hard to leave, so you might as well stay; With bridge closed, New Albany business leaders talk marketing Southern Indiana, by Daniel "Told You So" Suddeath at the News and Tribune

"The Future of Manufacturing Is Local."

Encouraging stuff from a week or so ago in The Future of Manufacturing Is Local, by Allison Arieff, from the Opinionator (New York Times).

“Manufacturing isn’t dead and doesn’t need to be preserved,” (Kate Sofis) says. “Let’s stop fixating on what’s lost. Let’s see what we have here, what’s doing well, and let’s help those folks do better.”

Manfacturing evolution ... what a concept.

As Mark Dwight, who started SFMade in 2010, explains, “For decades we have developed a culture of disposability — from consumer goods to medical instruments and machine tools. To fuel economic growth, marketers replaced longevity with planned obsolescence — and our mastery of technology has given birth to ever-accelerating unplanned obsolescence. I think there is increasing awareness that this is no longer sustainable on the scale we have developed.”