Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Area Entities Join Together to Help Boost Local Business

Local government agencies and businesses have partnered together for a five week-long campaign to encourage residents to shop local

HISTORIC TRIANGLE — Several area entities have joined together to support locally-owned businesses this holiday season.

The “Shop Local Boost” campaign will consist of “pop ups” at various locations around the Historic Triangle in which a residents can purchase $50 VISA gift cards for only $25 (limit two per household).

This five week-long event is hosted as a partnership between Chesapeake Bank, Local Daily Media (Williamsburg)*, Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, James City County Economic Development Authority, York County Virginia Economic Development, City of Williamsburg Economic Development.

“I am thrilled that all of these local entities have come together to help boost our local shopping this holiday season,” said Paula Milsted, director of marketing for Chesapeake Bank. “Our goal for this campaign was to partner with the community to support the community, and to show consumers that shopping locally this holiday is more important than ever.”

The overall goal of Shop Local Boost is to encourage shoppers to use these gift cards in order to support local businesses this holiday season.

For the partners sponsoring the campaign, this is a way to continue to invest in the local economy. Terry Banez, CEO of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce, says that the focus of the Chamber is on supporting local businesses and, through this partnership, increase the foot traffic to them.

Banez said, “When you shop local, your dollars have three times the impact on your community as dollars spent at national chains.”

This investing in the local economy is something that was important to all of the partners in the campaign.

“This is a win-win-win,” said Rick Overy, chair of the Board of Directors for the Williamsburg Economic Development Authority. “Our citizens get a discount, our businesses and restaurants generate additional sales and our City builds a stronger economy.”

For James W. Noel, Jr., director of the York County Economic Development, this new, cooperative initiative means that there will be another way to help established, locally-owned businesses weather the difficulties felt as a result of the pandemic.

This boost comes during a time in which local businesses are still trying to recover from the impact felt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Noel, while other localities may be bouncing back from the challenges felt during the pandemic, this hasn’t been the case in at least York County; particularly for tourist-related retail.

Overy echoed Noel’s sentiments. “This has been a difficult couple of years for our local businesses,” he said. “Our residents can continue to make a difference by buying local during the holiday season.”

The private businesses that have partnered in sponsorship of Shop Local Boost also see this as a way to give back to their fellow local businesses.

Derek Y. Mason, market president for the Williamsburg branch of Local Daily Media*, said that this joint campaign speaks to the core values of the company*, which is parent to Williamsburg Yorktown Daily (WYDaily.com) and The Tide Radio 92.3 and 107.9 F.M.

“I love that I’m in a position to be able to give back to our local community and I’m excited to be working together with these great partners to boost the local economy this holiday season,” said Mason.

The overall messaging of this campaign speaks to the character of the Historic Triangle by supporting our neighbors, especially when times are tough.

“[These] past eighteen months have reminded us just how important local businesses are to the health of our community,” said Mason. “We [Local Daily Media*] are honored to work with these partners to help and support our fellow businesses through this effort.”

A full list of pop-up locations can be found below:

Date Time Location
Nov. 3 12-2 p.m. The Edge District in front of Shorty’s Diner (627 Merrimac Trail, Williamsburg)
Nov. 10 12-2 p.m. Merchants Square in front of The Carousel (420 W. Duke of Gloucester St. in Williamsburg)
Nov. 17 12-2 p.m. Riverwalk Landing at the Freight Shed (331 Water St. in Yorktown)
Dec. 1 12-2 p.m. New Town near The Brass Tap (4904 Courthouse St. in Williamsburg)
Dec. 10 3-5 p.m. The Edge District, The Virginia Beer Company (401 2nd St. in Williamsburg)

To find a list of locally-owned businesses, please visit the website, TheBuckStaysHere.com.

For more information on this special campaign, please visit the website for Shop Local Boost.

* Williamsburg Yorktown Daily (WYDaily.com) and The Tide Radio 92.3 and 107.9 F.M. parent company, Local Daily Media, is a proud sponsor of this campaign.

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