Main Street advocate highlights NYPF 2008 conference

Stacy Mitchell will be the keynote speaker at this year’s NYPF annual conference on Monday morning, Oct. 13, 2008.

A strong advocate of locally-owner businesses, Mitchell is a senior researcher with the New Rules Project, a program of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (www.ilsr.org), a national non-profit that works to advance policies to support strong local economies and vibrant communities.

She is also the author of two books. “The Home Town Advantage: How to Defend Your Main Street Against Chain Stores…and Why it Matters” (2000), is a comprehensive guide to revitalizing local economies, while “Big Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent Businesses” (2006) was named one of the top ten business books of the year by the American Library Association.

A popular and engaging speaker, Mitchell has given presentations for many organizations, including the National Main Street Center, the American Planning Association and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She has been interviewed by NPR and other national news media and has contributed commentaries and articles to numerous publications around the country. She also produces an acclaimed monthly electronic newsletter called “The Home Town Advantage.”

Mitchell’s message and ideas should resonate with communities struggling to maintain or revive their Main Streets in the face of increased competition from chain stores and big boxes.