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The Humboldt County Independent Business Alliance
(HumIBA) is a coalition
of locally-owned independent businesses, citizens and community organizations
united to support hometown businesses in Humboldt County.
Independent Business Alliances are a proven tool
for protecting unique community character, ensuring continued opportunities
for entrepreneurs, building local economic strength, and preventing the
displacement of locally-owned businesses by chains.
HumIBA works to ensure
that the decision-making power over our community’s future remains
with the people who live here.
Why Support Local Independent Business
Locally-owned independent businesses are essential to a vital local
economy and community character. They use the goods and services of other
local businesses, serve as community hubs, and are a key component of
healthy neighborhoods and strong city centers. They're where the locals
go. They're owned by our friends and neighbors, or maybe even by you.
The ever increasing number of absentee-owned chains -- with formulas
dictating everything from the look of the building to who does the printing
to where the money gets
deposited -- has unhealthy consequences. It's not just local businesses
who suffer -- our communities are losing social, cultural and economic
strength, opportunities for
entrepreneurship, and the ability to create their own futures.
What We Do...
HumIBA Has Four Focus Areas:
(1) Informing citizens about the value of community-based businesses
and their importance to the local economy, culture and social fabric.
(2) Strengthening the voice of the locally-owned independent business
community by creating strong relationships with local government and
the media.
(3) Elevating the profile of our community-based businesses through
group branding and advertising to help level the playing field with national
chains.
(4) Developing and supporting policies that promote community-rooted
enterprise.
HumIBA works with other Humboldt County organizations and agencies dedicated
to appropriate economic development and related issues in order to ensure
a strong economic future for our region.
Our first big project is to publish a comprehensive guide to all the
local independent businesses of Humboldt County: the
Local Options Directory.
Defining "Local Independent Business"
Defining “local” and "independent" can be difficult,
but criteria are important to provide clarity for anyone who uses the
Local Options Directory or participates in HumIBA.
In order to be listed in the directory or become a business member of
HumIBA, owners must answer “yes” to all the following questions:
1. Is your business privately, employee, community, or cooperatively-owned (not publicly traded)?
2. Do the business owners, totaling greater than 50% of the business
ownership, live in Humboldt County?
3. Is your business located in Humboldt County, with no other national
headquarters outside Humboldt County?
4. Can your business make independent decisions regarding the name
and look of your business, as well as all business purchasing, practices,
and distribution?
5. Do you have six or fewer branches or outlets?
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Founding Members
• Alternative
Building Center (Eureka)
• Arcata
Economic Development Corporation Small Business Lending Center
(Arcata)
• Cascadia Hydro (Arcata)
• GB's BBQ (McKinleyville)
• Great Spiral Gallery (Arcata)
• Green Living Center (Fortuna)
• Joan
E. Hirschfeld, MA, LMFT (Arcata)
• Law
Office of M.C. Bruce (McKinleyville)
• Hubbard's German Auto, Inc. (Eureka)
• KHUM
Radio Station & Lost Coast Communications (Ferndale)
• Mercy Me Productions (Eureka)
• Muddy
Boots Landscaping (McKinleyville)
• North Coast Audiology Center (Eureka)
• North Coast Co-Op (Eureka
& Arcata)
• Nugames
Internet Cafe (Arcata)
• Pierson Building Center (Eureka)
• Plan It Green (Arcata)
• Precision
Intermedia (Fortuna)
• Simmons Natural Body Care (Dinsmore)
• Simply
Macintosh (Arcata)
• Welliver Construction (Eureka)
• Wildberries
Marketplace (Arcata)
• With Child
Doula Services (Fortuna)
Business Members
• 100 Fires Books
• AA Cash AA Check
• Almquist Lumber Company
• American Hydroponics
• Amy Kumler Photography
• Arcata Stationers
• ASIS Internet Services
• Azalea Business Support
• Balanced Physical Therapy
• Belly Dancing By Shoshanna
• Blackjack
• Bloch
Studio
• Blue Lake Apothecary
• Bonsai Sales and Rescue
• Brian's Auto Repair
• C.S. Designs
• Cafe Brio
• Capital Business Machines
• CartriCharge Imaging LLC
• Cascadia Wireless
• Central Office
• DirtCheapBuilder.com
• Clear & Concise Bookkeeping
• Coastal Business Systems, Inc.
• Elk Ridge Forestry, LLC
• Eternal Source Glass Art Studio
• Euresto Partners
• FineBookkeeping.com
• Flashback
• Gutierrez Land Surveying
• Hire Bookkeeping
• Humboldt Audio
• Humboldt Carpet Showroom
• Ideal Positions
• Jessicurl
• Jungle Juice
• Kritter Kountry
• Amy Kumler Photography
• Local Thrift & Online Auctions
• Mateel Arts Co-op
• McLean Carpentry and Home Repair
• Mercy Me Productions
• Alice Millington, Broker
• Moonrise Herbs
• Moon's Play & Learn
• Nansel Construction
• New Moon Rising Massage and Bodywork
• North
Coast Small Business Development Center
• North Point Financial Resourcing & Solutions
• Old Town Antique Lighting Gallery
• Pacific Paper Company
• Polished Nail Salon
• Post-Haste Mail Center Inc.
• The Recyclist
• Redwood Safety Training
• Rowe Mediation
• Signature Coffee Company
• Scrapper's Edge
• Scurfield Solar
• Seguin Woodworks
• Sjaaks Organic Chocolates
• Mary Stanleigh, Direct Mail Services
• Jim Steinberg, Mediator
• Surfside Construction
• Kyana Taillon Photography
• Thimbleberry Threads
• Thrifty Supply Company
• Truitt Construction
• Vaissade Mortgage Company
• Venlo Chocolates
• Widow White Creek RV Park
• Wild Weeds
• E. Chris Wisner Photography
• Barbara M. Zoellner
Associate Members
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)
• Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County
• Redwood Alliance
• The Roshni Centre for Women
Add your business to the list - become
a member!
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