The mission of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) is to preserve the unique community character of the Metro Louisville area by promoting locally-owned, independent businesses and to educate citizens on the value of purchasing locally. In order to pursue LIBA's mission, the organization will focus on:
|
A study of Louisville-area businesses shows that for every $100 spent a locally-owned, independent business, $55 is reinvested locally, whereas only $14 is reinvested when that same money is spent at a national chain. The results are even stronger for restaurants. (Click here to download the study.)
According to the 2007 Economic Census, Jefferson County produces annual retail store sales across all lines of goods (excluding motor vehicles and gas stations) of roughly $10 billion. Assuming this survey provides a representative sample of area independent retailers, a market shift of just 10% from chains to independents would retain an additional $416 million in the regional economy every year.