Business alliance touts Drag banners
Signs plug independent establishments inside street's investment zone
By Joshua Winata
Originally published in The Daily Texan, September 20, 2006

The Austin Independent Business Alliance unveiled 10 pole banners Tuesday in an effort to attract local and tourist attention to independent businesses along Guadalupe Street between 29th and 32nd streets.

The red-and-yellow banners demarcate and promote the Guadalupe Independent Business Investment Zone, or IBIZ district, created by the alliance to provide support to local businesses. The goal is to "draw attention to businesses along Guadalupe and raise the importance of local business throughout our entire community," said Melissa Miller, alliance development director.

Local business owners and representatives from the alliance and city of Austin attended the event, which was at Wheatsville Co-op at Guadalupe and West 31st streets.

"It reminds people that this is what we all value about Austin. It's a reminder every time you drive down the street to stop by and spend a dollar to support local business," said Rebecca Melancon, the alliance's vice president.

The zone was formed in March 2005 and encompasses 47 businesses. It was the first in Austin and was created to assist local businesses in enhancing communication, organizing collective marketing efforts and improving their neighborhood's infrastructure, Miller said. The alliance has created IBIZ districts for the East End, North Loop and South Lamar.

The alliance hopes to launch 10 to 20 districts, identified by the banners, that will eventually become tourist destinations in Austin, Melancon said.

"It's a huge movement, and this is only the beginning," Melancon said. "Any tourist looks for something unique in where they're visiting. You look for what's interesting in that city. What is that city about?"

Austin is only one of several cities with an independent business alliance, including Tampa, Fla., Boulder, Colo., and Santa Fe, N.M.