Phoenix Businesses Look to Educate Consumers on the Value of Independents
In many communities across America, the onslaught of corporate retailers and large chains is a pressing issue for local businesses trying to remain competitive. That's certainly the case in the Phoenix metro area (which includes Glendale, Scottsdale, and Tempe), where a coalition of local businesses is seeking to change the market landscape by educating consumers and local politicians about the economic value of supporting independent businesses.
Newtonville Books in Newton, Massachusetts, part of the Boston metro area, was conceived five years ago by an M.B.A. student at Boston University's Graduate School of Management. Writing a business plan for a new enterprise was the sole course requirement for one of Tim Huggins' classes, and he took the opportunity to create a viable design for his longtime passion, bookselling. 