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| Town officials are hoping to increase local spending with the shopping promotion |
Staff Photo by Joel Turner:
Katie McElroy, executive director of the Community Partnership for Revitalization, holds one of 6,000 5 On Us Christmas shopping promotion coupons that have been distributed by Rocky Mount. |
Monday, December 7, 2009
By JOEL TURNER - Staff Writer
Approximately 6,000 of the "5 On Us" coupons for Rocky Mount's Christmas shopping promotion program have been distributed.
Katie McElroy, executive director of the Community Partnership for Revitalization, said the distribution of the coupons was finished by the weekend.
Nearly 3,000 were mailed to water and sewer customers in the town. Almost 2,000 coupons were distributed to students and staff at Ferrum College.
The coupons are also available at the Rocky Mount Municipal Building, Franklin County Public Library, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, Community Partnership for Revitalization and the Retail Merchants Association.
Coupons are also available at motels in Rocky Mount, McElroy said.
The coupons will provide shoppers $5 off on a minimum $20 purchase at participating retail stores in Rocky Mount.
The coupons are not valid on gasoline, groceries or prescription drugs.
The program to encourage shoppers to buy locally was presented last month to town council by McElroy.
Town council agreed unanimously to participate in the buy-local plan.
Because of the county's decision against participating in the program, McElroy said that the coupon program is available only to stores and merchants within the Rocky Mount town limits.
McElroy said the coupon program is part of a "buy local" incentives program to help boost retail sales in the community.
The plan called for the coupons to be distributed so they can be used for the Christmas shopping season this year, McElroy said.
While the coupons are designed to boost Christmas sales, they are valid until May 31, 2010.
The coupons are part of a two-part campaign to help boost retail sales.
The first is a "Buy in Rocky Mount and Franklin County" campaign to encourage citizens to shop locally for goods and services.
The second part is the coupon program that is designed to directly stimulate retail spending.
The coupon requires a minimum purchase of $20 or more to qualify. The retail businesses will turn the coupons into the town to be redeemed.
McElroy said town officials and CPR are also looking at other ways to encourage residents to buy locally and boost retail sales. |
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