What is a Local Independent Business?

A local independent business meets the following 5 criteria:

1. At least half of the owners of the business live in Western New York

2. The business is privately held (i.e. not traded on the stock market)

3. The business is headquartered in New York State (i.e. the taxes it pays help provide the public services we enjoy)

4. The business controls all of its financial decisions

5. The business controls all of its business decisions (i.e. it is not part of a franchise)

Beware of localwashing: many non-local businesses now claim to be "local" because they know how the public values home-grown businesses.