local business

House bill 1284 and Senate bill 194 are the latest attempts by national chain grocers and convenience stores to eliminiate sales of 3.2 beer in Colorado, allowing more retailers to sell full-strength beer and alcohol in Colorado. 

Two years ago, we spoke in opposition to a similar bill for three main reasons: 

1. It undermines the ability of local retailers to compete with national chains, presenting an unfair advantage to national grocery stores. 

Nine of ten of Denver's Mayoral candidates gathered with 130 guests at the Tattered Cover on Wednesday evening to discuss the future of Denver's local economy. Candidates Carol Boigon, Michael Hancock, Doug Linkhart, Danny Lopez, James Mejia, Jeff Peckman, Ken Simpson, Theresa Spahn and Thomas Andrew Wolf participated in conversation around the important role small and local business plays in Denver's economy.

The Mile High Business Alliance, along with the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado and Eat Denver, will host a Mayoral Candidates Forum on March 23. Denver’s Mayoral candidates will discuss policies concerning economic development and small business development throughout the Greater Denver Area and the State of Colorado.

We often talk about the differences between local business and non-local business. For us, a local business is defined as one that is headquartered in Colorado, without being owned by a non-Colorado company. We then survey our members about their other habits: where their owners and employees live, who they purchase from, and to whom they sell their goods and services. 

These measurements and definitions are, to some extent, arbitrary. Not all local businesses are good, just like not all non-local businesses are evil. But our current economic policies and structures are blind to any other kind of measurement except one: the capacity of a business to make a profit. 

2010 Record Store Day

By Paul Epstein of Twist & Shout

February 18th 2010

More groups are forming to send shoppers to home-grown independent businesses. But their impact on jobs is hard to quantify.

By now, residents of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood have figured out that their trendy new coffee shop, 15th Ave. Coffee & Tea, is actually owned by Starbucks. With fresh flowers, beans ground to order, and a "help yourself" policy regarding used coffee grounds—for composting, of course—the store could pass for a locally owned café.

This Valentine's Day, we're asking you to give a little love to local businesses. Supporting our local economy in turn supports our community.

Did you know that 600% more of the money you spend at local businesses recirculates in within our community, making it 6 times more likely to come back to you.  

A little bit of love sure goes a long way. Here are a few suggestions for meeting your V-Day needs via local businesses.

Locally-owned independent businesses outperform average retailer sales during 2009 holidays. Those with active Buy Local campaigns fared best.