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Recent findings from prominent economists, sociologists, and other researchers suggest that small, local businesses are critical to overcoming many of our biggest challenges, from reducing economic inequality to building resilient communities. We round up the new studies and look at what they tell us about why policymakers should focus on strengthening local businesses everywhere. … Read More
A growing body of research is giving us new ways to quantify the harms of bigness and the benefits of local ownership. In this post, we round-up the important studies and provide the evidence that policymakers can use to craft better laws, business owners can use to rally support, and citizens can use to organize their communities.… Read More
Governing Magazine, December 2015 With Uber and Airbnb, money flows out of a community. Co-ops could counter that. Propelled by the idea of “the Uber of everything,” many people are predicting that ever-proliferating “network companies” will radically change the older ways of doing business in all sorts of new fields. Something like that certainly seems to … Read More
Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 28, 2015 If local business owners see a surge in shoppers Saturday, they can thank Barbara Mason. As the county’s economic development coordinator, she recruited more than 800 local retailers, restaurants and service providers to join Santa Cruz County Small Business Saturday. In October, her goal was 500. “If you’re looking for … Read More
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 28, 2015 Shortly after the doors opened on Saturday for the Urban Garage Sale — about the time the disc jockey was cranking up The Mighty Tom Cats’ version of “Soul Makossa” — a line of people snaked around two sides of a city block waiting to get in. Turner Hall Ballroom in downtown Milwaukee can accommodate … Read More
Contact: Rebecca Toews Rebecca@ILSR.org 612-808-0689 Amid the hype of online and big-box shopping this weekend, it’s easy to overlook the growing popularity of independent retailers. I invite you to contact Amazon.com’s greatest nemesis, Stacy Mitchell, for a story about Main Street’s Black Friday Takeover. You’ve probably seen Stacy’s research on TedTalks, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal, where she … Read More
Sonoma News, November 23, 2015 In 2009, a new independent coffee house opened in downtown Seattle. 15th Ave Coffee & Tea featured heavy wood furniture, exotic Darjeeling, live folk music and impromptu poetry readings – it was everything Starbucks wasn’t: A throwback to indie neighborhood coffee houses of the pre-chain era – soulful, authentic and, most … Read More
Recent years have been record ones for mergers and acquisitions. While much of this concentration is invisible to most of us, its effects ripple throughout all areas of the economy.… Read More
Contact: Rebecca Toews Rebecca@ILSR.org 612-808-0689 Ten years after pledging to become an environmental leader, Walmart still relies heavily on dirty energy and derives just 3% of its U.S. power from its renewable energy projects and purchases. With Walmart executives preparing to mark the 10-year anniversary of the company’s sustainability pledge at an event Tuesday, the Institute for … Read More
