America Readies to Get Unchained

Local businesses, community organizations, and independent alliances are gearing up to celebrate America Unchained! Day on Saturday, November 20. The campaign, sponsored by the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), is designed to encourage consumers to devote an entire day to shopping locally and to publicize the difference a day can make for local economies.

Jennifer Rockne, the program’s director, said that since announcing its plans in early October AMIBA has heard from individual businesses, as well as local independent business alliances, downtown associations, and Main Street programs. However, the day is not just for businesses, Rockne added, noting the participation of Salt Lake City Councilman Soren Simonsen, who reached out to AMIBA and committed to doing all of his business with indies for the day.

A number of independent bookstores will be celebrating America Unchained! Day and are incorporating discounts and events into the Unchained Day publicity.

Carla Jimenez, co-owner of Inkwood Books, in Tampa, Florida, is extremely involved in AMIBA’s efforts. As a member of AMIBA’s national board, as well as a board member of the Tampa Independent Business Alliance (TIBA), Jimenez believes a day like this is extremely beneficial.

“We see it mainly as a consciousness raising promotion,” she said. “The intention is to get people to think before they spend. The movement depends on this kind of promotion.”

Participating businesses are placing ads to generate consumer awareness, and they’re gaining media attention from the several papers that cover the city’s news and events. Creative Loafing, Tampa’s alternative newsweekly, will feature a piece that details the economic impact of buying locally.

At Inkwood Books, Jimenez is offering a 20 percent discount all day to any customer that mentions America Unchained or TIBA. Other community events will include several farmers’ markets as well as a town block party.

“We think it’s really, really, really important” to emphasize the direct connection between shopping locally and the creation of local jobs,” said Jimenez, pointing to the Economic Multiplier Effect, or “local premium,” which is an important component of public education campaigns.

In New Orleans, Maple Street Book Shop will be promoting and advertising Unchained Day, said bookseller and “social medium” Veronica Brooks-Sigler. The store plans to use the publicity to generate excitement for local events. Around Unchained Day, a local newspaper will advertise Maple Street’s book launch party to be held at the end of the month for New Orleans-based author Cornell P. Landry, whose One Dat, Two Dat, Are You a Who Dat?, is soon to be released.

Brooks-Sigler likes the idea of these types of promotions, and America Unchained! Day has inspired her to begin planning for a new event for next year: Maple Street Unchained! Day, wherein she would work with the many other independents on the street.

“I have visions of an unchained parade of sorts (we love our parades here),” she said.

Steve Bercu, co-owner of BookPeople in Austin, Texas, has been directly involved in the America Unchained campaign since its beginnings, seven years ago. Bercu is co-founder and president of AMIBA's local affiliate, the Austin Independent Business Alliance (AIBA).  “Austin Unchained,” which launched in 2003, served as a model for the national campaign that launched the following year.

“It would be foolish to think that everyone is always thinking about what we (retailers) are thinking about,” said Bercu. “Reminding everyone that consumers and businesses benefit is a strong message that we cannot repeat enough.”

BookPeople will participate in this year’s event by issuing press releases, hosting events, and spreading the word as much as possible. The bookstore ran an Unchained Day ad featuring a coupon in the local paper, and all author events during the week will be designated in honor of America Unchained! Day.

“This event should be thought of as a marketing and media opportunity,” Bercu said, and he encouraged all bookstores to “push the conversation. Any chance to talk about the value of independent business will only benefit the local bookstore.”

AMIBA’s Rockne noted that the America Unchained! Day campaign is a great way to kick off the holidays. “I hope anyone considering a book as a gift will seek the magical experience of finding it in an independent bookstore,” she said.