Ranking of metropolitan areas by level of independent retail

The Indie City Index, a groundbreaking ranking of American Metropolitan Areas by the proportion of retail activity captured by independents, was conducted by Civic Economics and sponsored by the American Booksellers Association.

- alphabetical order
- Study report
- appendices
- maps

The Washington region is listed as 113 out of 363.

But I wonder some about the methodology, which I guess is based on totals. At the micro level, there are great independent commercial districts across the country, regardless of the ranking of the overall metropolitan area. E.g., Richmond is ranked 266, but Carytown is one of the best independent commercial districts between Philadelphia and Richmond (Downtown Frederick too and Hampden Village in Baltimore). Etc.