PPPPPPP vs Amiba
-or-
Go Hardcore or Go Home
One great thing about jumping right into a new project is that you can get all fired up about it keep the momentum of new! exciting! going straight into the first stage of said project. The downside is getting started before you have a real clue about what you are doing.
In retrospect, a clear definition of "local business" would have been wise.
In our pre-New Year's discussions, hashing out the rules seemed pretty methodical but when we made a list of acceptable and no-no stores, we covered the obvious. Barnes and Noble and The Gap, no. Nightbird Books and Cheap Thrills (clothing resale shop), yes. Easy. Clear. Done.
Wal-mart was unclear as it started as a local business on a town square 25 miles from here but has gone international, big time. Harps, a regional grocery chain, was started only 8 miles away and has 52 stores in 3 states. Where to draw the line? Well, I drew it once but some redrawing seems to be in order.
According to the American Independent Business Alliance (Amiba), "a "Local" Independent Business" is:
- Private, Employee, Community or Cooperative ownership
- Owned in majority by area resident(s)
- Full decision-making function for the business lies with its owner(s)
- No more than 6 outlets, bases of operation lie within a single state
Uh oh.
Of course, I don't have to follow their definition. There was a line of reasoning when the rules were made and I could stick to it. But it feels like cheating. Like if I'm really going to have some revelations during this project, they aren't going to come if I'm not fully committed. It seems like hard times and a little suffering are necessary if this is going to be worth something.
Alright, I'm game. I love (love, love) my co-op but they don't always have everything on the shelves one has come to expect at a modern grocer. However, they are it for me during 2009.
Look for future posts of regret and culinary woe.
I wonder if you've considered local stores that buy products from mass retailers and order online to stock their shelves? This is often the case, especially for stores carrying clothes, trinkets, purses, papergoods. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI like the blog!
If I were to restrict myself to only local items, not just local retailers, I'd starve and get pregnant. ;) Little food, no pills, and pretty much no anything! Its rather freaky that if the shipping of goods made far away was interrupted, we'd all be screwed.
ReplyDeleteI know that you just mean local stores that buy items from big stores (clothing not food). My quick and lazy answer is that I've sworn off buying new clothes for the year. A more thorough solution is to ask the store owners where they source their stuff. Good point!