Across the U.S., cities and towns are grappling with the proliferation of chain stores and the loss of locally owned businesses.

These two books can help.

Big Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses

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. She then shows how communities and independent businesses are effectively fighting back. Buy Big Box Swindle Today!

Click for more details on the new book and catch Stacy Mitchell on her Fall 2006 Book Tour!

The Home Town Advantage by Stacy Mitchell ISBN: 0-917582-89-6 paperback, 101 pgs, $14.00 ORDER ONLINE

The trends are dismal. 11,000 local pharmacies have closed their doors since 1990. Independent bookstores now account for less than 20% of book sales. Neighborhood hardware stores are disappearing: two chains have captured more than 25% of the market.

But trends are not destiny. Concentration occurs only when we allow it to occur and currently public policy not only allows absentee ownership, it actively encourages it.

It is time to change the rules.

From local zoning ordinances to federal antitrust policy, The Home Town Advantage provides a comprehensive guide to reviving the homegrown economy.

"When your Mayor or City Council tells you nothing can be done to fight megastores and global corporations, give them a copy of Stacy Mitchell's timely and hopeful book."
- Jim Hightower, America's most popular populist and former Texas Agriculture Commissioner

"Anyone concerned about the preservation of locally owned small businesses in America should read The Home Town Advantage. . . This concise, readable report is a real eye-opener in explaining how public policies often favor absentee-owned businesses over the local businesses that contribute so significantly to a community's civic life and distinctive character."
- Constance Beaumont, policy director for the National Trust for Historic Preservation

A resource guide for citizens and policymakers, The Home Town Advantage will show readers how to:

Assess the true impact of megastores on jobs, taxes and the local economy.

Enact land use policies that deter chain stores and allow Main Street to thrive.

Collaborate with nearby towns to develop a regional approach to megastores.

Sharpen the competitive edge of small businesses through alliances and cooperatives.