“So, what stamp do I get this year?” I am asked as I begin to hand off the items. Fifty different businesses are getting stamps. We have been needing them for several years now. And, as a result, we have amassed quite the collection. There are snowflakes, ornaments, bells, holly, Christmas trees, and one or two odd ones that have nothing to do with the holidays.
The stamps are being handed out along with postcard sized cards, posters, and displays for somewhere near the register. All those items are for our annual retail promotion. Two Fridays ago, it officially started. The stamps are fun and reflective of the fun of the retail promotion. When we first started it, there were 20 participating businesses. Two years ago, we had 37. This year marks the most ever.
Even if you have participated in past years, we have continued to make small tweaks to make it as easy as possible. The cards are free. You can get one at any participating business. Spend at least $10 at a participating store or donate in participating stores to the Green County Food Pantry and receive a stamp. When you receive 10 different stamps, you have filled out your card. Leave it wherever you get your last stamp (or any participating store). You will be entered to win weekly prizes and the grand prize giveaways. Each card can win multiple times (weekly and grand prizes) and you can complete multiple cards.
Stores such as Max’s Threads, 213 Mercantile, Burington Shoes, and Bullquarian Brewhouse will be contributing items for weekly prizes. As the number of participating stores has grown, so has the variety of shops. When my aunt and uncle recently visited Monroe for the first time, they were a bit shocked at the number of businesses here. As you might expect, we have a few goals with this promotion. One is to make shopping local as easy as possible and to recognize that a lot of times, it is not just buying a gift to put under the tree. I am proud to live in a place where shopping local, where supporting local means dining and drinking local and many service businesses, whether at Star Nails, Bliss Salon, or Schultz Hometown Pharmacy.
With the depth of business all located within a few blocks of each other, it is our very own outdoor shopping center. Everything is just a few steps away. If I had to, I would have a hard time listing off all 50 businesses off the top of my head. When you get a card, our bet is that you will find stores you have not been in recently, ones you have not heard of — we have newly opened businesses participating — and many that will bring a smile to your face. And so, another goal is that you will have an easy excuse to stop into many businesses that, whether you are buying gifts or not, have many things to offer. We have a whole collection of stamps that says you will.
The promotion runs through the end of the year. Grand prize winners will be announced the first part of January.
— Jordan Nordby is the executive director for Main Street Monroe. He can be reached at Monroe-MainStreet@tds.net. Complete details on Main Street Monroe and its efforts can be found at main-streetmonroe.org.
