Shop Owensboro returns Saturday

That’s up from 51 last year and 46 the year before.

“It grows bigger each year,” Candance Brake, chamber president, said of the event.

“A number of businesses are getting really creative with activities in the store,” she said.

“Shop Owensboro is our local version of Shop Small Saturday,” Brake said. ” Over the past few years, this event has grown into an exciting movement where shoppers from all over make a day of supporting our local shops and merchants. There is a grass-roots empowerment effect when so many people plan the day to keep their money at home. The economic impact of those dollars spent here multiply several times.”

Independence Bank sponsors the event, which begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The bank will distribute 600 free shopping bags with coupons and hidden gift certificates at its 2425 Frederica St. and 3228 Kentucky 54 locations.

“Last year, they gave out 500 in 15 minutes,” Brake said. “When we got there, the line stretched all the way around the building.”

Graves said a lot of the stores “are taking ownership of the event and really promoting it. Some of them say it’s their busiest day of the year. It’s always in the top three or four.”

The stores and the shoppers both have fun, she said.

“It’s a wild day,” Graves said. “We have people drive in from all over the region to shop. It showcases our small businesses.”

“It’s become part of our Thanksgiving tradition,” Brake said.

The shopping bags will contain bingo cards.

Shoppers can take them to stores to get them marked, so they’ll be eligible for prizes to be given by the merchants the following week, Brake said.

“We had hundreds of entries last year,” she said. “These are nice prizes.”

As of Friday, the following stores were scheduled to participate:

• 270 Power Yoga, 3333 Frederica St.

• Hillview Farms Meats, 5024 Lee Rudy Road

• All About You Salon & Spa, 603 Salem Drive

• Bushay’s, 4431 Springhill Drive

• Byron & Barclay, 121 E. Second St.

• The Sturdy Hinge, 121 E. Second St.

• Simply Chic Home Accents, 101A W. Third St.

• Bella Ragazza, 120A W. Second St.

• En Vogue Boutique, 3053 Alvey Park Drive W.

• Red Door Boutique, 105 E. 18th St.

• Robin’s Resale & Boutique, 2416 New Hartford Road

• The Willow Tree, 3121 Commonwealth Court

• KidStop Boutique, 2660 Frederica St.

• Excursions, 2738 Frederica St.

• Say It Southern, 5000 Frederica St.

• The Earle, 2686 Frederica St.

• Nick T. Arnold, 3630 Frederica St.

• New Life Thrift, 1920 W. Fourth St.

• Shoe Stop, 4650 Frederica St.

• Preservation Station, 9661 Kentucky 56

• Lance & Co., 2730 Frederica St.

• Studio Slant, 624 Emory Drive

• PizzaRoma, 611 Emory Drive

• Tom Blue Furniture, 2737 Veach Road

• Welborn’s Floral, 920 E. Fourth St.

• Peacocks & Pearls, 4431 Springhill Drive

• Out of the Blue, 401 W. Second St.

• Red Wing Shoes, 2928 Heartland Crossing Blvd.

• Consumer Mall, 2930 Kentucky 144

• Starbucks, 2402 Frederica St.

• Scrub Shoppe, 4760 Frederica St.

• Adorn Boutique, 113 E. 18th St.

• In The Groove, 103A W. Third St.

• The Veranda, 3830 Kentucky 54.

• Dandelion Wishes, 2215 New Hartford Road