According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend an average of about $700 per person on holiday season shopping this year and, despite the hype surrounding Black Friday, the busiest shopping week immediately precedes Christmas. But rather than enduring long lines and sparse service at chain stores, we urge...

Campaigns that highlight the importance of local independent business can provide a big boost for small businesses and local economies battered by the recession, suggests a new survey by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Data on 2010 revenues gathered from nearly 2800 independent business revealed those businesses...

As the surging demand for locally-sourced and organic food demonstrates, many of us are willing to pay a bit more for items made or grown close to home when the choices are easy to find. Just as many people consider a fresh, locally grown tomato a far better value, even...