MetroIBA Press Clippings

From the Feb 21 Star Tribune:

"The Electric Fetus music store cranks the volume on a campaign to get Minnesotans to keep dollars local."

"The 225 local music fans who turned out to see a three-band spree on Thursday night at the Electric Fetus may have been there for the intimate feel of a mini-concert, but retail music manager Bob Fuchs hopes he's onto something even bigger.

Today's Star Tribune includes an article explaining how the big book chains use their size to sell a hot new book - in this case the new Harry Potter title - at prices lower than independent stores can even get from the publisher. MetroIBA members are profiled on their approach to the big day for Harry Potter fans.

A sampling of Twin Cities independents found that they bought their copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" for 40 to 46 percent less than the $34.99 list price, depending on whether they ordered from a wholesaler or from the publisher, Scholastic Corp.

by Elliott Mann
Stillwater Gazette
Thursday, January 26, 2007

STILLWATER - A smattering of downtown Stillwater business owners and local politicians filled the back room of the Dock Café Thursday night, contesting what the business owners see as extreme property tax increases.

The meeting's focus, said state Sen. Kathy Saltzman (DFL-Woodbury), was to identify what can be done to alleviate some of the pressure the latest round of property taxes has had on downtown businesses.

"I looked at all the numbers, I can see what happened, but I really want to hear the stories," Saltzman said. "Tell me your stories - what is it going to do to your business?"

View Fox 9 coverage:

View Kare11 coverage (Windows Media Player required)

Kare11 story

Independent Shops Like Choo-Choo Bob's Keep More Money in Community, Some Leaders Say

by Jason Hoppin, St. Paul Pioneer Press 

Once upon a time, there was a script for many little boys' Christmas Eves. It went like this:

Make sure the cookies and milk are out, tell Santa Claus how good you've been (even if you did pull your sister's hair at summer camp) and remind him not to forget the electric train set you've been hoping for.

If you were lucky, there it would be Christmas morning, magically winding around a track set up beneath the Christmas tree.

St. Paul businessman Bob Medcraft, owner of Choo Choo Bob's train shop at 2050 Marshall Ave., is hoping that in this era of Xboxes and Tickle Me Elmos, trains haven't been permanently crossed off holiday wish lists.

From the _Star Tribune_'s "Taste" section, Thursday, October 19, 2006 

What: Discover independently owned metro-area pizza places and their delivery areas (all mapped by a group of students from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute). And learn how patronizing locally owned businesses positively impacts the local economy. It's probably not as wonky as it sounds (the free pizza helps). Sponsored by the Metro Independent Business Alliance.

When: 4 to 6 p.m., next Thursday.

Where: Snap! Pizza and Ice Cream, 2851 NE. Johnson St., Minneapolis. Call 612-706-9073 for details.

Check out this news of a new bookstore, right below MetroIBA member Nina's Coffee Cafe in St. Paul.

By Mary Lynn Smith

Star-Tribune, Friday, September 15, 2006 

A Garrison Keillor-owned bookstore below Nina's Coffee Cafe in St. Paul could be just the extra shot needed to turn the corner of Western and Selby into a national literary magnet, business owners and city leaders said Thursday.

For the full story, see--

MetroIBA Members and Friends--

This article--

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0724/p13s02-lifo.html

--which appeared in the Christian Science Monitor the week of July 24, 2006, has caused a stir among our parent organization, the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), and its affliates.  I find some of the author's arguments tenuous--we should buy food from developing countries because the farmer may have harvested it with a donkey rather than a high-tech, carbon-spewing tractor?--but it's always good to know what we're up against.