The CRIBA Blog :: Live Local, Buy Local » CRIBA

New Siena Poll Predicts Similar Christmas Spending – But Where Will We Spend It?

jim — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:55:02 +0000

Well, the new Siena poll is out this morning, and it appears that Christmas shopping levels will be about the same in the Capital Region this year. So, the real question is, “How much of that money will you spend locally?” The Siena Poll states that 54% of New Yorkers prefer to buy locally when they can, so that is a good start. At CRIBA, we would like to challenge you to pick a percentage of your overall spending this Christmas, that you are comfortable with, and make it your goal to spend that with locally owned, independent businesses. Whether it is 10%, 20%, 50% or even higher, any percentage will help local merchants — and this will directly help us all by stimulating the Capital Region economy. So, please, choose your comfort level and give it a try.

Our directory of local businesses is almost ready for its initial launch. Thank you for all your help – please continue to submit listings after the launch. This site will be a constant work in progress and we are relying on all of you to help us populate it.

One other noteworthy items from the Siena poll. Apparently, more than half of New Yorkers prefer to hear “Merry Christmas” this year.

So, Merry Christmas!

Announcing: The Black Friday Challenge

Justin Cresswell — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:22:20 +0000

The Capital Region Independent Business Alliance is proud to announce our first ever Black Friday Challenge.

What’s the challenge? Make Black Friday GREEN! Take the holiday dollars you plan to spend this year – especially on Black Friday – and focus on spending them with local retailers and restaurants. We’re creating a free, on-line directory of local retailers and restaurants at CapitalRegion.com, so whether you’re a retailer or a consumer – we want to hear from you today at CapitalRegion.com! Its free, it’s easy, and it’s waiting for you now.

Consumers – Fill our our on-line form for consumer information, and we will notify you as local shopping info develops this Christmas.

Retailers – Fill out our on-line form for retailers, and we will add your information free of charge.

How does this make the day Green, you ask? Great question! This works for all of us in two big ways.

For the environment – Spending with local independent businesses is good for the environment. Local, community-based businesses are human-sized. They consume less land, carry more locally-made products, locate closer to residents and create less traffic and air pollution.

For the economy – Green is also the color of money, right? Every dollar we spend at locally owned, independent businesses returns 3 times more money to our local economy than one dollar spent at a chain or a big box giant.

The bottom line is this – how your spend your money makes a real difference for all of us, no matter who you are. Take five minutes today and do your part at CapitalRegion.com.

Jennings: The City of Albany is open for business.

Justin Cresswell — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:46:55 +0000

Speaking of downtown Albany, Mayor Jerry Jennings said “We have an inventory of every building that’s down there.” See what else he said.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO0UJ4oBlIY]

CRIBA thanks everyone for attending the Stacy Mitchell event

Justin Cresswell — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:20:23 +0000

Stacy Mitchell addresses the group at Carmine's Restaurant (Credit: Anthony Cresswell)

CRIBA is off to a great start, and we owe it all to you. The response from the Stacy Mitchell breakfast last Friday was great. Sixty-five people attended to hear Stacy speak about how we as residents, owners, employees, and activists can work toward substantive change. We thank everyone for attending, especially Mayor Jerry Jennings, who gave an impromptu speech, excerpts of which are here.

To Carmine, Armand and the wonderful staff at Carmine’s Restaurant, we say thank you for rising so early and so high for the event. To Paul and Pat from Talk 1300, we say thank you for spreading the word and broadcasting live that morning. To CRIBA’s founding board, we say thank you for your support, in all its different forms. And to Stacy Mitchell, we say thank you for writing Big Box Swindle and for being such a strong voice for true change.

Following the event, we took Stacy to WRGB Channel 6 in Schenectady where she was interviewed by Liz Bishop on the noon news broadcast. Stacy’s segment immediately followed news of the federal government’s $700 billion bailout of the mortgage industry. This juxtaposition emphasized the rationale for doing business with local vendors during the current economic crisis.

You need to be part of CRIBA.

Justin Cresswell — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:28:58 +0000

As Jim Gile said as he introduced Stacy – “You need to be part of CRIBA. We can make a difference!”

JOIN TODAY!

How’s that for subtle?

Tables are set, and movement has begun

Justin Cresswell — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:00:22 +0000

People are rolling in here at Carmine’s. The awesome staff is buzzing around getting everything set, and I’m starting to smell breakfast wafting out of the kitchen. The camera and the microphone are working. It is always strange to test a microphone in front of a bunch of people – all I ever think to say is “testing…testing…1, 2, 3, 4…is this thing on?” Really should break into some freestyle rap or something.