Main Street creates Downtown Dollars

BY KADIE VICK
THE LAFAYETTE SUN

LAFAYETTE — LaFayette Main Street now offers Downtown Dollars that operate like a gift card but can be used at the local businesses downtown.
“It really incentivized people to shop at their local businesses, and this is something that I really felt we needed,” said LaFayette Main Street Director DeAnna Hand. “It’s just a way to encourage people to get a gift card for downtown to be used at multiple different places.”
Hand said that community members are able to use the Downtown Dollars for a variety of products including food, the nail salon and more.
“So, it’s not just one gift card to Zēk’s 37 or the Mexican restaurant,” she said. “It is downtown dollars that people can use at our different locations, the nail spa, the Market at Magnolia on Main, Newman’s, LaFayette Nutrition and all of our other downtown businesses are able to accept these, and we’re very thankful.”
For community members who regularly attend events downtown, Hand said that they can expect to begin receiving Downtown Dollars as prizes and for other initiatives.
“For different events, like the food truck festivals and our cookie crawl, when we do awards or different spotlights, we’re going to give Downtown Dollars from LaFayette Main Street to our community members so they can pour that back into the businesses,” she said. “It’s just another way that LaFayette Main Street is supporting local and encouraging our community and visitors to shop local.”
Hand said that Downtown Dollars are a great gift and can be used across multiple locations.
“Anyone can purchase any Downtown Dollars, so if they wanted to provide a gift for a loved one, friend or for a holiday, they get someone $40 worth of Downtown Dollars, and that doesn’t limit them to just shop at one location,” she said. “They could use $10 at Krave Korner for lunch and then go shopping at Blue Button quilts and spend $20, and then they could go get a plant at Newman’s Feed Store with the other $10. So, it doesn’t put them in a box on where they can use it.”
At the upcoming Christmas in July Event, Hand said that locals can visit the LaFayette Main Street building and possibly receive some of the Downtown Dollars that will be given away that day.
“For our Christmas in July event, people can come downtown on Friday, July 25, and visit our Main Street office where we’re going to be giving away Downtown Dollars,” she said. “We also encourage visitors to learn more about LaFayette Main Street, how we’re pouring back into small businesses and all that we’re doing in our town.”