Independents Week Gets a Makeover

The American Independent Business Alliance wants communities across the country to take its newly redesigned promotional materials for Independents Week and run with them to create a celebration of indies from Monday, July 1, through Sunday, July 7. Since its launch in 2003, Independents Week has become an increasingly popular Main Street event, and now a slew of new graphics, posters, street banners, and other templates are available for free download at amiba.net.

"We gave the Independents Week logo and materials a new look this year and created new templates for store or street flags and an over-the-street banner," said Jennifer Rockne, AMIBA director. "The more sophisticated look will be comfortable in small towns and metropolitan areas alike." Templates can be used to produce materials in various formats. "We've seen folks produce professional, reusable banners and four-color, offset-printed posters, and we've also seen posters and other items printed from in-store or home computers," said Rockne.

Now in its seventh year, the weeklong celebration, centered around the Fourth of July, has become a well-publicized retail event in many American communities. Because of growing interest in the Buy Local movement, Rockne expects much broader participation in 2009, and she suggested that booksellers and other independent businesses take advantage of the momentum. "We encourage anyone anywhere who is interested in participating to do so, whether as a local organized group effort or as an individual. AMIBA affiliation is not required," Rockne explained. "But, obviously, the impact is much greater with more local participants. Many IBAs also have used Indie Week to assess interest in forming an Independent Business Alliance or as a first IBA initiative."

Participants can create their own in-store Independents Week event, or collaborate with other local businesses and involve local government. "I'm excited because the scuttle among our Independent Business Alliance affiliates is that more will be incorporating community events this year, in addition to the usual proclamation, buy local challenge, and poster displays," Rockne said. "Whether it's hosting a film event, a community picnic, a bike ride, these are great ways to connect citizens with local business owners and government officials, casually. We include many ideas for activities to consider in the campaign information." (Learn more and download templates at amiba.net.) --Karen Schechner