Keep (your city here) Weird

Becky Boswell Smith -- Home Accents Today, 4/1/2005

Remember the guy in Network who yelled out the window, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore"?

That seems to be the attitude of a grassroots effort that's being born in Louisville, Ky.; Raleigh, N.C.; Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colo.; and Tampa, Fla.

The word that jumps out in all the promotions is Weird.

Stories about the movement, if you can call it that, appear in newspapers and in Weblogs. The Associated Press is writing about it. Bill-boards and signs on buses are popping up.

In short, smaller, independent retailers say they are taking a stand against the big-box guys coming to town.

Obviously, the big-box footprint has been stepping across America for more than 25 years. Smaller big-box locations now sit empty as super big boxes relocate eight blocks away or are turned into antique malls. That's nothing new.

But this fight-back movement is relatively new. The independents say many consumers are under-informed about the value of local stores. Life savings often are invested in these businesses and the owners are active citizens of the community. They are a vital economic force and they're telling their story.

A bookstore owner in Austin is credited with creating the "Keep Austin Weird" slogan as he battled the arrival of a Borders in his neighborhood. The arguments center on why local businesses help pay for tax breaks for the big guys, as well as creating a higher profile for local businesses. Some cities are declaring a Shop Independents Day or Week.

As weird as some of this may be, it certainly means independent retailers are speaking up for themselves. It also means some of the Big Boxes are getting smarter, too, both in becoming involved in communities and in delivering products consumers want.

It's going to be a battle worth watching.