As an added attraction to shop local on "Small Business Saturday" the town is offering free parking throughout the downtown. And since the schools are not in session on Saturday, shopkeepers do not have to worry about students and employees of the University of Massachusetts, our number one employer, parking in the downtown and hopping a PVTA bus to school.
And most small businesses train their staff not take up prime parking spots.
So hopefully the downtown parking lots will fill up with shoppers in a good mood to spend money. A dollar spent in the local economy returns many times over vs the one spent at national chain stores at the nearby Mall (and they always have free parking).
Now if we could just get the Chamber of Commerce or Business Improvement District to rent or borrow a large electronic flashing sign and plant it in the downtown to inform shoppers of the good news.
it would have been nice if it were announced or advertised in the paper or signs put up since i had no idea and paid for parking...
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't start until tomorrow. But yes, they could have done a whole lot more with Advertising/PR.
ReplyDeleteAlso if the town would put up a map with the businesses on it, or links to their websites, so we could go see what deals they have online (and avoid lines).
ReplyDeleteRetail business in Amherst, now that's a good one. Nobody shops in boutique type stores anymore unless they're some kind of elitist or something. Downtown is strictly for food, booze, or coffee. Open your eyes.
ReplyDeleteIt also returns many times the money spent at food trucks that come in from out of town.
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