Resources for shop-local movements: (from the SF Chronicle)
Organizations
-- Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, www.livingeconomies.org: San Francisco umbrella group for independent local business networks around the country; provides resources and information on starting shop-local campaigns.
-- American Independent Business Alliance, www.amiba.net: Bozeman, Mont., consortium of local business alliances. Sponsors America Unchained, annual campaign to encourage shoppers to eschew chain stores for one day; this year it was on Nov. 19.
-- San Francisco Locally Owned Merchants Alliance, www.sfloma.org: New organization to promote locally owned independent businesses in San Francisco through education about their positive economic impact on the community.
-- San Francisco Made, www.sfmade.org: Nonprofit that promotes San Francisco manufacturers of consumer products.
-- Oakland Unwrapped, www.oaklandunwrapped.org: Nonprofit group being formed to support local stores in Oakland. Founder Erin Kilmer-Neel is seeking funding and hopes to start this spring with an e-commerce site featuring local merchants.
-- Institute for Local Self-Reliance, www.ilsr.org: Promotes sustainable communities. Its retail section is at .
Reports
-- Andersonvile study, www.andersonvillestudy.com: 2004 report by Civic Economics comparing the economic impact of 10 local businesses in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago versus their chain competitors. Links to other studies are at www.sfloma.org/studies.htm and www.livingeconomies.org/localfirst/studies.
-- Global Insight, www.globalinsight.com/walmart: For the other side of the story, this independently produced study financed by Wal-Mart says the giant retailer has helped drive down prices and its impact on small stores is offset by a net increase in jobs.
Events
-- Independent America, www.independentamerica.net: An 80-minute documentary that profiles mom-and-pop stores fighting big-box retailers and fast food chains. Bay Area premiere is Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at Varnish Fine Art, 77 Natoma St., San Francisco.
-- San Francisco Shop Local Week, Dec. 5-10, and Shop Local Day, Dec. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Union Square. www.sfgov.org/sbc.
Source: Chronicle research
Posted by cbsisco at November 29, 2005 10:24 PM