October 24, 2017 From Michael DeSanto of Phoenix Books:
For too long my bricks and mortar book stores have suffered in relative silence, but no longer. There are ways to fight back against the threat to our survival that Amazon and other internet retailers pose to our independent and locally owned businesses. So, on Monday evening, November 13th from 6:00p.m. To 7:00p.m., at the First Unitarian Universalist Society on Pearl and Church Streets, come and join Phoenix Books in a community forum to talk about ways to change the flow of business back to Main Street. Stacy Mitchell, founder of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, will be in Burlington to discuss the findings of her in-depth study of Amazon and what the company’s growing dominance means for Vermont’s small businesses, jobs, and communities. This event is free, open to the public and special needs accessible.
As part of the discussion, we’ll talk about how policymakers can address Amazon’s market power and impacts, and what citizens can do to support a more diverse, equitable, and locally rooted economy, even when they’re shopping online. If we don’t educate ourselves then our communities risk losing our local businesses, the jobs that go with them and the revenues generated by them. We are going to hold the session like a community forum, with the well-known Fran Stoddard serving as the Moderator. After Stacy Mitchell speaks there will be ample time for in-depth questions and answers from the audience. There will even be some light refreshments available. Phoenix Books believes bricks and mortar stores are facing a literal existential threat, that’s why we are sponsoring this event. Please, share this with everyone, including thoughtful citizens, staff, colleagues and friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/127296504649354/
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