By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
While shopping for the holidays, a local promotion encourages shoppers to not go online but to shop local instead.
The Shop St. Joseph holiday promotion, held by the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, will return soon, giving people a chance to win money, by shopping locally.
Chamber President and CEO Natalie Redmond says local businesses or restaurants are encouraged to sign up for the program.
"We'll be really kicking that off the first part of November and it will run through December really just right up to Christmas time," Redmond tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And for every dollar you spend in that participating merchants store or restaurant you receive a ticket, that ticket has a number on it, and if you win the drawing, you will win $10,000 from the shop St. Joe program."
Redmond admits it might be time to up the grand prize money, but says research shows that $10,000 is enough to skew a person's shopping decisions and make them want to shop locally.
"We really at first, when we started this program, were doing it to keep you from going to Kansas City during the holidays and to pull maybe that person in Cameron to come to St. Joe versus North Kansas City for their holiday shopping," Redmond explains. "And now it's become a fight against internet, you know, I'm sorry but Amazon doesn't need your Christmas money, but the residents that have the local store in downtown St. Joe do."
Redmond says this year, more than ever, local small businesses need shoppers to remember to shop local.
"With the cost of inflation, with the cost of their prices, with the workforce shortages, you know the small businesses are really concerned about this holiday season," Redmond says. "And it's now our time, St. Joe does a great job of rallying around support local, and I would just encourage you they need you now more than ever."