In the corner of some store windows in the Centre County area is a little red sticker. It announces that the store honors the IMBC Community Card -- a card that is a mystery to some and a benefit to others.

The members of the Independent Merchants Buyers Club (IMBC), located in Lemont, use their card to receive special discounts at 140 various businesses throughout the Centre Region, program coordinator Robert Ryves said. Club membership is available to anyone for an annual fee of $12 and its use is unlimited, he said.

The businesses honoring the IMBC card are listed in the club's catalog, which is published yearly, and their discounts are decided upon mutually between the merchants and IMBC sales representatives. Merchants receive various benefits and a full-page advertisement in the catalog for an annual fee of $135.

Ryves founded the club in September 1992 as an alternative to one-stop shopping. He also wanted to offer the consumer something "different than the coupon standard" of searching for discounts in papers and coupon books.

Although the club sold about 1,250 cards last year, the program is not widely recognized among consumers.

Shelby Johnson (freshman-nursing) said she has never heard of the card, but would be interested in one.

"For me, it's worth it because I do a lot of shopping downtown," she said.

Ryves said he has "all kinds of marketing approaches going on" to increase awareness of the card.

The participating businesses together form one cooperative advertising group and can reach many people for lower costs than advertising individually, said IMBC participant Tom Meade, owner of Collegiate Furnishings Inc., 274 Reese Road.

Debbie Mastromatteo, owner of The Candy Cane, 128 W. College Ave., said her store has participated in the IMBC program since the program's conception in 1992. She said she believes business has increased as a result of advertising in the IMBC catalog because customers are lured in by the discounts.

But not all State College merchants share Mastromatteo's enthusiasm about the club.

Bob Neiderer, owner of Kelly's Shoes, 126 E. College Ave., said, "The program is not being used the way we hoped it would." He said he agreed to participate in the club to increase business, but only the few people who already have the card use it and others do not inquire about the program.

Despite the lack of awareness of the program, some merchants opt to become involved because of the various benefits they can reap.

Mastromatteo said she has received business cards and bulk-mail service at reduced rates through the club. IMBC also offers a health plan, she said.

The club also offers merchants a discounted Visa and MasterCard program, as well as lower long-distance rates, Meade said.

Ryves said he did not want to comment on the club's benefits to merchants.

For the present, Ryves said he wants to keep the business on a small scale to bring the services to the consumer at a low price. He tries to involve a variety of small, independent merchants in the program and to involve residents in their community.

IMBC began as a pilot program in State College. It has since expanded to include businesses in Bellefonte, Lock Haven, Boalsburg and other towns within a 25 mile radius of State College, Ryves said. Next year he plans to further expand into Lewistown, Huntingdon and Philipsburg.

"We are gradually expanding and taking one step at a time," he said.