Topics > Retail and Markets
Feature
A New Deal for Local Economies: II. The Birth of Corporations
Stacy Mitchell | July 26, 2010

While signs abound that people are rediscovering the benefits of an economy rooted in community and small-scale enterprise, all of this activity, though widespread, is still quite modest. It exists largely on the margins and is unlikely to coalesce into a wholesale reorganization of our economy unless we change the rules. 


Feature
A New Deal for Local Economies: I. The Good News
Stacy Mitchell | July 18, 2010
Let me begin by sharing some good news. Scattered here and there, in my country and in yours, the seeds of a new, more local and durable economy are taking root. 

Locally grown food has soared in popularity. There are now 5,274 active farmers markets in the United States. Remarkably, almost one of every two of these markets was started within the last decade.(1)  Food co-ops and neighborhood greengrocers are likewise on the rise. 


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Eco Citizen Reveals the Allure of Organic Fashion
Contributing Writer | July 12, 2010
Story contributed by Polina Selyutin.
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Sew LA Teaches Fun and Fashion for the Modern Seamstress
Tiffany Swift | June 21, 2010
Awhile back, I decided to stitch up some throw pillows. Armed with the free pattern I found online, I headed to a JoAnn’s Fabrics in search of cheap pillow stuffing. A few overworked employees were struggling through a growing line of customers, so I wandered fruitlessly around the store for a while. When I finally found the pillow stuffing, I took a look at their fabric section - a tired hodgepodge under a sign warning something about formaldehyde and cancer.  So I hopped in my car and drove across town to Sew LA.
Resource
Big Box Swindle - The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses
| June 16, 2010
In less than two decades, large retail chains have become the most powerful corporations in America. In this deft and revealing book, Stacy Mitchell illustrates how mega-retailers are fueling many of our most pressing problems, from the shrinking middle class to rising pollution and diminished civic engagement—and she shows how a growing number of communities and independent businesses are effectively fighting back.
Video
Google and Sheepless.org Seek Out Community Makers
Scott Ballum | June 14, 2010
Sheepless.org champions the small businesses that make our communities more sustainable, accessible, creative, and fun.
Video
Greenlight Bookstore Tells a Different Story
Scott Ballum | May 12, 2010
Jessica Stockton Bagnulo and her partner Rebecca Fitting opened Greenlight Bookstore in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. We talked to her about the place for independent bookstores in today's world, their inspiring funding model, and about creating a community space that people want to spend time in.Video not loading correctly? Watch it here on the Sheepless.org Vimeo Channel.
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Eco Chic: The Slow Fashion Movement
Kate Bryant | May 5, 2010
What does it take to get consumers to transition from buying disposable "fast fashion" to heritage pieces? How about transparency in the supply chain? Does knowing the history of a piece make it more compelling and special? How about quality textiles? When something costs more, does it make it more precious — something to cherish? Or maybe it doesn't have to cost more. Can innovation create textiles that are both sustainable and mass-market affordable?
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Design Glut Exposes Themselves
Scott Ballum | March 24, 2010
One of the things that characterizes this new school of entrepreneurship is the willingness, or desire, to see other folks working in our industry as opportunities for collaboration and inspiration, rather than competition. We are unafraid to share our secrets and ask questions because we know that we have alot to learn from other's experiences—and well, it's alot more fun than running around with our collars up and clutching top-secret files to our chest.
Feature
Velo Cult Reconstructs the Bike Shop as a Welcoming Community Space
Scott Ballum | March 22, 2010
San Diego’s Velo Cult looks the part of a really hardcore, if somewhat trendy, bike shop and it’s owner, Sky Boyer, appears the quintessential bearded gear-head. But anyone who keeps walking when they pass the wide open gate, soaring ceilings, and vintage originals is missing more than half the story. This is not a place where greasy, scabby-kneed road warriors intimidate you with their superior knowledge of how your bike works. In fact, Velo Cult exists in direct opposition to that style of bike shop.