| think independentLY ~ GO LOCALLY-OWNed |
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AnnouncementsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2008 Contact: Scott Menzies – 476-8475 (office), 441-1423 (home office) Humboldt County Independent Business Alliance to Publish Free Directory of Local Independent BusinessesEureka, CA – Humboldt County's independent businesses are getting organized. Composed of business owners, local organizations, and citizens concerned about the future of their community, the Humboldt County Independent Business Alliance (HumIBA for short) will promote and advocate for Humboldt's independent businesses. “Independent businesses are an integral part of our communities,” said volunteer Co-coordinator Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap. “They benefit us in many ways that large corporations cannot - economically, socially, and culturally.” “Independent businesses contribute to the uniqueness of our area, they provide us with better opportunities to meet our neighbors, and they re-circulate more of our money locally,” said volunteer Co-coordinator Scott Menzies, who is also finishing up his Master's thesis in the Environment and Community program at HSU on the community-building role of small businesses. “They define Humboldt County, yet the vast majority of us don't realize the full extent of the benefits they provide and the challenges they face compared to well-funded national chains.” As affiliates of the national American Independent Business Alliance, the job of the HumIBA is two-fold: educate residents to build community support for 'indy' businesses and organize independent business owners to help bring their costs down and create a local environment that allows them to thrive. “While 'Buy Local' is a great mantra that helps community members focus their attention toward local businesses, the reality is that we need to do much more if we want to see Humboldt stay unique and our local economy and community remain vibrant,” said Menzies. “Residents need to see patronizing independent businesses as a form of community service – they're not just 'consumers,' but participants in a community-building process with people who are not just 'business owners,' but fellow residents who share their desires for a prosperous and beautiful Humboldt County.” Independent business owners are busy people, according to Bob Schultz, a retired independent business owner who is also a volunteer for the project. Schultz has owned restaurants as well as the retail/service shop Gas Stoves with Style outside of Eureka. “We don't have the time to initiate the kind of cooperation and coordination that would ultimately make our lives easier and more prosperous,” he said. “At Gas Stoves with Style I was closed to customers half the day to do my work. At one of our restaurants my wife and I would get there at 5:00 a.m. to prep everything by hand. With those kinds of schedules, we didn't have the time, and certainly not the energy, to take on larger-picture issues in government, policy, and business practices that would have helped our business.” “Owners need to have a way of working together towards common goals that doesn't eat into their time,” said Sopoci-Belknap. “By facilitating cooperation, the HumIBA helps level the playing field between 'indy' businesses and well-funded national chains. We can do the kind of leg-work that will help protect and promote our independent business community, as well as help busy residents better understand the importance of these businesses to Humboldt County and how to support them.” It's not easy for busy residents to get informed about where they should shop to best support the local economy, according to HumIBA. “If you ask most people where they can purchase a particular item, they are immediately able to tell you the national chain where that item is available,” said Sopoci-Belknap. “But if you asked for an independent option, they would either be hard-put to tell you or assume that there was none.” According to HumIBA, the first step is to make it easier for all involved to find each other. The first major project of the HumIBA is to publish a comprehensive directory of independent businesses. Offering a free listing to any business that qualifies as a local, independent business, the organization hopes to list several hundred businesses in its first directory, to be printed in November, just in time for the holiday season. “The Local Options Directory will make it easy for community members to support Humboldt's independent businesses, as well as provide something business owners can look to to support each other by buying locally as well,” said Schultz. “This directory is a service to the community,” said Menzies. “It's something that I, as a community member, have wanted to have and be able to reference for a long time now, and I'm not the only one. We want to know who is independent – who we're giving our money to – and that information isn't readily available. With this directory, it will be.” Businesses can sign up to be listed in the directory by contacting HumIBA at 476-8475 or filling out a web form at www.HumIBA.org. ### |
Founding Members• Arcata Economic Development Corporation Small Business Lending Center (Arcata) Business Members • 100 Fires Books |
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Humboldt County Independent Business Alliance | PO Box 858, Eureka CA 95502-0858 | (707) 476-8475 | info@HumIBA.org |
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