The Fremont Chamber is, officially, an Independent Chamber of Commerce. We do not belong to any national association of Chambers, and in the mid-1990’s we discovered that, as a result, we were not recognized by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. In our own contrary way we found that deliberate ignorance of our presence humorous, like denying the existence of a mammoth concrete Troll clutching a VW Beetle. You can say we aren’t here all you like, but that doesn’t avoid awed gasps when people stumble across us and distrustful glances askance at the source of bad information.

Independence makes up a major part of our neighborhood character. I wouldn’t say it defines us. I’m still inclined to see our tendency toward the peculiar as central to our personality. Our individual peculiarities have led to some of our greatest triumphs. The Outdoor Cinema, displaying Lenin, the orange and blue Fremont Bridge, and Uni-ku weren’t developed from a playbook entitled “How To Build A Wacky Community.”

These innovations of our community, and our Chamber, come from the fertile and sometimes fevered minds of Fremonsters. People free to be peculiar in their own way, without fear of being ostracized or mired in rational, thoughtful process. When I first heard of plans to screen movies, in Seattle, on the side of a building with an audience seated on a parking lot, I thought the idea intensely silly. I thought Miracle on 34th Street, Lenin, orange and blue, and opening a bank here all silly ideas originally. However, they worked. Granted, no one listens to me but also no one stands in the way of making magic happen.

Independent Dreamers

We allow people to pursue their dreams, and sometimes we all reap rewards. The Fremont Chamber has long stood as an organization willing to support any dang fool notion, but most especially if the fool takes responsibility for realizing their notion. We can do that as an independent organization, free from generic policies and restrictive, generalized procedures.

As the Fremont business district has grown we’ve gained a few chain stores, franchises and branch offices. We’ve also maintained our abundance of independent businesses. Fremont Place Book Company, located here since 1989, takes pride in its status as an Independent Bookseller and they promote the benefits and value gained by customers that deliberately choose to shop independent.

Defining Independent

An independent business means the owner often stands behind the counter, tends customers and personally works with suppliers. Independent businesses can adapt to the needs of a single customer and exercise flexibility in the marketplace. Independents can choose suppliers based on quality or supply criteria. Independent businesses can look beyond the profits and define their success by the quality, values and merit of the products or services they provide.

However, without corporate office oversight, independents lack corporate protection, collective advertising, legal and political intercession and relationships with mega-sized suppliers. In a community rife with independent businesses, it makes sense that we have, and need, a strong Chamber of Commerce.

Independent Together

A Chamber lobbies, publicizes and supports business, no matter what kind of business it may be. The Fremont Chamber does all that, with opportunities and infrastructure in place for those members who want to do more. Members can meet, talk and build supportive relationships that provide a strong safety net. All businesses, including corporations, chains and franchises, can take advantage of these opportunities but independent businesses in Fremont thrive because of the support of this community, and this Chamber.

Independence is a double edged sword that grants freedom, to be peculiar or otherwise, while it demands responsibility. Independence can also build up a distance between us and lead to a mistaken belief that I’m all alone out here, struggling, and no one else would understand. A tax consultant may not understand the minutiae of building a retail art glass business or a yoga studio, but common concerns about parking, safety, keeping a business attractive and taxes bind us all together.

The Fremont Chamber didn’t choose to be independent as a political statement, or to annoy the establishment – no matter how much we may enjoy that added benefit. We stayed independent because we neither had nor would spend the money to lose autonomy, and our freedom to be peculiar. We are an independent Chamber dependent on a strong, active membership of businesses committed the prosperity of all Fremont.

   May 2006