Austin Celebrates its 'Independents' With New "I Bought Local" Stickers
Originally published in the Austin Business Journal on July 7, 2006

One Austin area business group kicked off July by celebrating its independents. Recently, the Austin Independent Business Alliance launched a promotion to encourage Austinites to shop locally.

The group is hoping the program will take off thanks, in part, to a promotional sticker shoppers can pick up at some local businesses. The sticker, which reads, "I Bought Local," is reminiscent of the widely recognizable "I Voted" stickers given out on election days.

The idea for the sticker campaign was generated at a recent Austin Independent Business Alliance meeting in which alliance member Erin Portman of the newly opened Birds Barbershop suggested stickers were a good way for Austinites to show their local pride.

The AIBA claims buying locally generates three times the amount of money for the local economy. A 2002 study from the group found that for every $100 spent at a local business, $45 stays in the community. That same $100 spent at a national chain store would translate to only $13 for Austin's economy.

The "I Bought Local" promotion was launched this week at 25 Austin businesses as part of "Celebrate Your Independents Week." Shoppers can check out www.IBuyAustin.com for more information, and show their support for Austin businesses by picking up a sticker at BookPeople, Birds Barbershop, I Luv Video, Wheatsville Food Co-op, Waterloo Records and several other shops.

That's one way to get stuck on local businesses!

-Chantal Outon