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Independent We Stand, a movement committed to strengthening small businesses throughout the country, recently completed its annual road trip in celebration of locally owned businesses. During the road trips, Independent We Stand travels to five cities in five states in five days, visiting small, locally owned businesses at each stop and staying and eating local in each community.
The theme of this year’s trip was the Rocky Mountain Road Trip, which took Independent We Stand founder Bill Brunelle and other small business enthusiasts on a trek from Denver to Casper and Sheridan, Wyoming, to Bozeman, Montana, and Idaho Falls, Idaho, and finally to Salt Lake City. The stop in Sheridan was interrupted by a snowstorm in the area, but the team continued on to its planned stops further along the route.
The road trip coincided with the final week of voting for quarterfinalists of the 2017 America’s Main Streets contest. The top 25 Main Streets in the country are competing for a grand prize of $25,000 and other prizes to invest in the community and local businesses. Click here to view the top 25 Main Streets and vote for the one you think is most deserving. Voting takes place through May 28. The top ten America’s Main Streets finalists will be announced May 29, and the winner will be announced on June 5. On July 4, the winning Main Street will announce its investment plans for the grand prize.
In addition to the $25,000 grand prize, the America’s Main Streets winner will also receive:
- A STIHL equipment certificate for $1,000 worth of STIHL equipment.
- A Do it Best Corp. $500 shopping spree.
- A PPG Pittsburgh Paints $500 shopping spree.
- A SnapRetail $1,300 subscription package.
- Public relations and social media recognition.
- An Alignable small business social media “Neighborhood” on the site.
- A plaque to display.
