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About Stacy Mitchell

Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, where she directs initiatives on independent business and community banking. She is the author of Big-Box Swindle and also produces a popular monthly newsletter, the Hometown Advantage Bulletin.  Connect with her on twitter and catch her recent TEDx Talk: Why We Can’t Shop Our Way to a Better Economy. More

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Target Store Carts
Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2013

New Data Show How Big Chains Free Ride on Taxpayers at the Expense of Responsible Small Businesses

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/chains-walmart-foods-free-ride-taxpayers-expense-responsible-small-businesses/

State data reveal that Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, and others offer such low pay and benefits that many of their employees rely on public assistance, at a cost of billions of dollars a year. Continue reading

Amazon Shopping Cart
Featured Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on May 13, 2013

After 20 Years, Congress May Finally Pass Internet Sales Tax. Is it Too Late?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/20-years-congress-finally-pass-internet-sales-tax-late/

Not having to charge sales tax fueled Amazon’s growth for nearly 20 years. While it’s impossible not to see the company as a horse that’s already out the barn door, there’s still good reason to believe that the Marketplace Fairness Act will slow Amazon’s consolidation of retailing and provide benefit to independent businesses. Continue reading

clevelandplaindealer
ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on May 2, 2013

How Much Do Cash Mobs like Shaker Heights’ Flash Cashers Help Small Businesses?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/cash-mobs-shaker-heights-flash-cashers-small-businesses/

Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 2, 2013 For over three hours on Monday night, more than 80 neighbors from a Flash Cashers cash mob handed Shaker Heights Hardware store thousands of dollars in extra business. Summoned by social media and word of mouth, participants who had pledged at least $20 each ended up spending several times… Continue reading

Sustainability Milestone Meeting March 17th 2011
Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on May 1, 2013

On Climate, What Walmart Says vs. What It Does

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/climate-walmart-vs/

Walmart has been generating some impressive-sounding headlines on the environment lately. But a closer examination of what Walmart is and isn’t doing reveals a company that in fact lags its peers on renewable energy and is contributing a large and growing volume of climate change pollution to the atmosphere. Continue reading

foreignpolicy
ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 29, 2013

The Case for Breaking Up Walmart

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/case-breaking-walmart/

Foreign Policy, April 29, 2013 After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Americans were quick to give much of the credit to the economic system of the West. The centralization and monopolization of the Soviet regime, so the thinking went, had stifled enterprise, choked creativity, and stripped wealth from vital systems. The magic formula? Democracy… Continue reading

tennessean
ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 28, 2013

Frank Daniels: It’s time to collect sales taxes on Internet purchases

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/frank-daniels-time-collect-sales-taxes-internet-purchases/

The Tennessean, April 28, 2013 In the Internet stone-age, the mid-1990s, Congress acted to encourage innovation and foster the development of the World Wide Web with policies designed to ease the regulatory burden on what is essentially a borderless business. One of the most effective policies in that encouragement was a moratorium on the requirement… Continue reading

nytimes
ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 27, 2013

Internet Sales Tax Coming Too Late for Some Stores

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/internet-sales-tax-coming-late-stores/

The New York Times, April 27, 2013 Anita Demetropoulos, a Maine shopkeeper, figured she would never see the day when her most relentless competitor, Amazon, would be forced to collect sales tax. Now that Congress seems ready to do that, she is no longer sure it matters. Even in losing, the e-commerce powerhouse is triumphant…. Continue reading

Main Street
Featured Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 26, 2013

Locally owned businesses can help communities thrive — and survive climate change

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/locally-owned-businesses-communities-thrive-survive-climate-change/

Cities where small, locally owned businesses account for a relatively large share of the economy have stronger social networks, more engaged citizens, and better success solving problems, according to several recently published studies. Continue reading

alamosavalleycourier
ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 4, 2013

Piece of Mind: We Need a Boston Tea Party

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/piece-mind-boston-tea-party/

Alamosa Valley Courier, April 4, 2013 The Boston Tea Party is an iconic event in American History. Unlike today, the citizens of Boston had few options but to express in action their frustration with British Parliament policy. Today, the bulk of “actions” taken in opposition to something are done with a keyboard or touchscreen. This… Continue reading

foxbusiness
ILSR Press Room filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 2, 2013

How to Start a Shop-Local Movement

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/start-shop-local-movement/

FOX Business, April 2, 2013 Whether they’re shopping at local retailers on Small Business Saturday or feasting on locally sourced pork chops at independent restaurants, American consumers’ interest in supporting local, independent businesses is on the rise. In a 2012 survey by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), 75 percent of business owners surveyed believed… Continue reading