Shop Small Business Saturdays will be returning again this year with two events – Saturday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 26.
Mount Vernon Bank and Trust and Lynch Ford-Chevrolet will be donating $1,000 in community cash for the first Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 5.
“When we heard about Mount Vernon Bank and Trust’s support of this shop small weekend, we thought it was a great event,” said Darin Vig with Lynch Ford-Chevrolet. “It’s a great way to help our communities and move some of our customers from out on Business 30 to reinvest those dollars into our businesses in uptown Mount Vernon.”
Customers at Lynch Ford-Chevrolet can enter their name for a raffle drawing now through Oct. 31. With names drawn Oct. 31, winners will be asked to pick up their community cash gift certificates the morning of Nov. 5 at the dealership.
Vig said that Lynch Ford-Chevrolet serves or sees roughly 3,000 customers a month at the dealership, with more than 80 percent of them from communities other than Mount Vernon or Lisbon.
“It’s a way to help induce more people to travel back here and take part in supporting our local businesses in the uptown community,” Vig said. “It’s a way we can help draw people to our community and help support our local businesses.”
The community cash awarded can only be spent at Mount Vernon and Lisbon area businesses.
Mount Vernon Bank and Trust will be handing out community cash during Shop Small Saturday Nov. 5.
“This ties into our mission as a community bank,” said Jake Krob, vice president of marketing/loan officer for Mount Vernon Bank and Trust. “We’re so proud of our local businesses and are grateful for those who support them. This is a thank you for that.”
Krob said that 86 Community Cash gift certificates will be available at the bank in denominations ranging from $5 to $25 that morning. All people need to do is swing by the bank to grab a random certificate and go shopping. Community cash certificates are available first come, first served.
While the second Shop Small Saturday will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the first coincides with normal business hours that Saturday.
“Small businesses, like small Iowa towns, are the back-bone of our nation and our economy,” said Catherine Kennedy, chair of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon project. “Support for small businesses and small towns is necessary now more than ever. Please plan on joining us on both Nov. 5 and 26 to Shop Small and give back to our small businesses.”
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group will again award $100 in community cash to one of the first 25 shoppers sponsored by one advertiser with the promotion. The other 24 shoppers will receive coupons and other gift certificates to other businesses. The group will also hold drawings for community cash during both weekends. Shop Small headquarters will be based at the Hilltop Pocket Park in uptown Mount Vernon, though there may be an alternate interior location if weather determines. When names are drawn from the fishbowl, people have 10 minutes to get to the booth to claim the community cash prize.
“The goal is to reward people who are making it a priority to shop local in the Mount Vernon and Lisbon communities,” said Joe Jennison, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group director.
Jennison noted the Shop Small Saturdays are a great way to support all the businesses in uptown Mount Vernon and Lisbon and always serve to excite people when the events are held every year.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of these two communities, and this is a day that all of us who love having access to 32 Main Street mom-and-pop small businesses can show their appreciation with their patronage,” Jennison said. “Mount Vernon-Lisbon is your Shop Small HQ this November.”