New program provides incentives to keep shoppers in city
core
The Hollister Downtown Association is offering a Downtown Club
card that offers residents discounts on more than 20 businesses in
the city center.
”
It’s still in its infancy,
”
said Brenda Weatherly, the executive director of the Hollister
Downtown Association, of the program.
”
We have a little more than 20 businesses participating and we’ve
sold 40 cards.
”
New program provides incentives to keep shoppers in city core
The Hollister Downtown Association is offering a Downtown Club card that offers residents discounts on more than 20 businesses in the city center.
“It’s still in its infancy,” said Brenda Weatherly, the executive director of the Hollister Downtown Association, of the program. “We have a little more than 20 businesses participating and we’ve sold 40 cards.”
The way the program works is that residents can purchase a card for $20 that is good through the end of 2010. Then they can check in with local participating retailers to see what discounts they offer, or they can check the HDA Web site for the monthly offers.
“We want to encourage people to shop local and build loyalty,” Weatherly said.
Deborah Wood, the owner of Drapeol, is on the board for the HDA and part of the promotions committee.
“I got on board right at the very beginning,” she said.
The local HDA members got the idea at a retreat a couple years ago when members of the Livermore Downtown Association shared their success with a similar program.
“The director of the retreat discussed how it worked so well,” Wood said. “We thought it would be a great thing to start in Hollister.”
The program was launched in June, thought it is still getting off the ground. Drapoel is one of three places where locals can purchase the card. Muenzer’s is another, and the cards are also available at the HDA office. The cards are available for purchase Wednesdays during the farmers market at the information booth.
Wood put the cost of the card into perspective.
“For my business, you can come in and buy the club card for $20 and receive $20 off a $100 purchase,” she said. “You can get the money back on the first purchase.”
Her 20 percent offer is good on everything in the store except Brighton products and sale items.
“It’s quite a bit of savings in my business, plus all the other offers,” she said.
The participating businesses include a mix of shops, restaurants and service businesses such as banks and an attorney.
“We encourage [the businesses] to change up the offers,” Weatherly said. “In some cases, some businesses have an ongoing promo and the Downtown Club card members get additional discounts.”
She said one of the offers she has used to sell the program is from Las Palmas Restaurant. They offer a carnitas family dinner special for $9.75.
“You get a pound of carnitas, 12 corn tortillas … You can feed a family of four for $10,” she said.
Jerry Muenzer, a member of the HDA and chair of the economic restructuring committee emphasized that the $20 cost for the card goes straight back into programs for downtown.
“It goes to support the downtown association and all the work it does, promoting and preserving downtown,” he said. “On top of that, different stores are doing different incentives.”
During the first month the card was offered, Muenzer’s gave a 10 percent discount off all purchases. Now he picks one type of item for the 10 percent discount, such as clothing or shoes.
In addition to the cards, members of the Downtown Club get a monthly newsletter.
“They get an e-newsletter that keeps them apprised of what is happening downtown,” Weatherly said. “They become in the know and hear about what is happening.”
The ultimate goal of the Livermore association is to make the downtown program a statewide thing, Weatherly said.
“People could use it in other cities’ [downtowns],” she said.
For now, the focus is to continue to promote the local program and recruit more businesses.
“We just need to keep plugging along and, hopefully, it will work like it has in other communities,” Wood said. “I think we just have to give it more time.”
Muenzer agreed.
“I think maybe we just need word of mouth, letting people know about it and what it is,” he said. “All the stores are offering discounts and incentives to use the card. We are hoping it will take off good for the downtown association.”
To find out more about the Downtown Club Card, visit downtownhollister.org/downtownclub.php or call 636-8406. Cards can be purchased at the HDA office, 455 San Benito St., Ste. 21; Drapoel, 731 San Benito St.; or Muenzer’s, 221 Fifth St.
