by Christine Pham

If you’ve ever seen the romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, then you are familiar with the storyline about the beloved bookstore in New York City, Shop Around the Corner, that was forced to shut down due to the invasion of the big chain store, Fox Books. Even after the heroine lost her business that had been around for years, she still managed to fall in love with the owner of Fox Books, and our hankering for happy endings was satisfied. Still, what if the story had gone the other way and Shop Around the Corner managed to remain open, and Fox Books had to move on? This twist fell upon retired lawyer Steve Bercu and his bookstore, Book People. As a big believer in local business, Bercu started the Austin Independent Business Alliance, AIBA, an organization of independent locally owned businesses in Austin unified to compete successfully against corporate chains.

There was no doubt in Steve Bercu’s mind eight years ago that local businesses in Austin had to unite and protect the dignity of a small city like Austin from corporate America. According to Bercu, “It seemed like a good idea to help organize locally owned businesses and educate the public about them.” With that in mind, Bercu co-founded the Austin Independent Business Alliance (AIBA) in 2002 as an organization of independent locally owned businesses in Austin unified to compete successfully against corporate chains. Bercu began contacting home businesses all over Austin and ended the year with 50 members. After the company reached 150 members, AIBA acquired enough money to hire an executive director, who runs the daily operations. The majority of officers in AIBA are volunteers. Today, there are hundreds of members.

To become a member, the only requirement is to be a locally owned business. “There’s never really been a problem about who could be a member. Chains are obviously not eligible,” Bercu says with a laugh. The $175 membership fee pays for a banner, representation in the directory (which is released twice a year and available in most hotels), and a citation that appears on the AIBA’s website.

Aside from the individual gains, Bercu stresses that, “when you join you do get something, but more importantly, you get the benefit of being part of a larger group that has a great relationship with city council, which is the only governmental body that matters and effects us.” Bercu highlights that the main objective of AIBA is to “continue to educate the public over and over...endlessly about the value of locally owned businesses and why it is beneficial to the community.”

AIBA, along with Book People, sponsored the first economic impact analysis, which has been replicated all around the United States. The analysis shows that if you spend more money to local businesses as opposed to chains, then there is an economic impact 3 ½ times more towards a local community than a corporate business. The public’s reaction? The tireless crusader Bercu explains that, “a lot of people don’t care or don’t know about it. We are 100% here and everything we do is local. But with national chains that is not the case. We don’t hire lawyers or public relations people.” So, local businesses' greatest attribute in being local might be their biggest flaw because they cannot compete with the commercial success of corporate chains? Not necessarily. Book People alone has battled off six Barnes and Nobles and two Borders in the city of Austin. “It is definitely not good for business to have a store that sells the exact same thing across the street,” a chuckling Bercu reasons. Despite the immense competition, Book People has been voted best bookstore in Austin for over 15 years by the people of Austin and was voted Bookstore of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly.

Bercu is absolutely certain, “most tourists, from what we’ve been told, specifically are asking for what’s local. I mean nobody wants to go to chain stores. Why would anybody, in their right mind, go to another city to go to the same store that they have in their own city?” He also has a stern point of view when it comes to shopping malls. In this local’s mind, Bercu incredulously says, “I can’t even imagine going to some other city and going to a shopping mall. I find that to be almost ridiculous to insane.” In this moment of laughter, it was amazing to see one man’s passion became reality. Bercu and several others like him appear to be in a series of Crusades: not necessarily to recapture the Holy Land, but as leaders attempting to protect precious towns from the gluttonous chains lingering by. So, how does the crusader of the moment see Austin in 10 years or so? Bercu chortles, “bigger, more crowded, and harder to get around.” Bercu believes local businesses are starting to flourish again, and people are beginning to understand nationally the value of local businesses.

As the forthcoming years approach, more business matters need to be tended to. With the book business in a constant flux and more rising problems to tackle, this man has a lot on his plate. Does he think he’ll ever close? Bercu replies with a smile, “not purposely.”

For more information about the AIBA, click HERE! 

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