Nine independent Portland businesses and one of the founders of the buy local effort were honored Wednesday night at the annual Indie Biz Awards ceremony.

Stacy Mitchell, one of the founders of the Portland Independent Business & Community Alliance, was honored with Portland Buy Local’s Beacon Award, honoring her “leadership and innovation in growing Portland’s independent and local economy.”

The award said Mitchell has been “a longtime advocate for Portland’s local businesses – helping found Portland Buy Local, serving on the board for six years and then being involved ever since.”

Buy Local, a campaign created by the Portland Independent Business & Community Alliance, said Mitchell was honored “because, when thinking about who best embodies the spirit of the Portland Buy Local movement, we think first of her … and she continues to work tirelessly to find ways to support the local businesses that make Portland the unique and magnificent city that it is.”

Mitchell is on the staff of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, where she directs the Community-Scaled Economy Initiative, which focuses on policies that counter economic consolidation in favor of community-anchored enterprises. She has also written two books, “Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers” and “The Fight for America’s Independent Businesses.” She also is a popular speaker and a contributor to a variety of magazines.

Other honorees were Buoy Local, best new business; Local Sprouts Cooperative, flavor of Portland; Space Gallery, artistic leader; Garbage to Garden, environmental hero; Maine Surfers Union, Portland’s best kept secret; Portland Trails, community hero; Maine Brew Bus, out-of-sight, not out-of-mind; Karma Fair Trade, global hero; and Rosemont Market and Bakery, Portland icon.


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