The craft beer industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Between 2009 and 2016, the number of craft breweries expanded from 1,596 to 5,234, according to the Brewers Association. The number of craft breweries increased by 16.6 percent between 2015 and 2016 alone. Read More

Through more than two decades of research and practice, ICIC has recognized the importance of small businesses in growing urban economies, revitalizing inner city neighborhoods and creating jobs and wealth for inner city residents. Encouragingly, small businesses continue to grow and hire new employees across the U.S. Read More

The influx of new residents, accompanied by a growing number of restaurants, coffee shops, retail outlets, and other amenities to serve them, has transformed many urban neighborhoods over the past decade. A walk through any low-income, inner city neighborhood, however, often reveals a different reality. While many of these neighborhoods have also grown in population, the mix and number of shops serving local consumers seem to differ from other parts of the city. Read More

While a cohesive company culture can drive employee loyalty and engagement, it can do more than that: it can actually drive company success. Read More

It’s no secret that small businesses are the engine of the U.S. economy, typically making up 64 percent of net new private sector jobs in a given year. It turns out, that’s even more true when it comes to the economies of inner cities, according to a new report from the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). Read More