Shop Owensboro’ event highlights local businesses
Owensboro Chamber of Commerce officials gave themselves an hour Saturday morning to pass out the 500 shopping bags they’d filled with promotions and deals from participating businesses in this year’s “Shop Owensboro, Powered by Independence Bank” event.
But they didn’t need nearly that much time.
Saturday was the first day of the event, which runs through Dec. 4, and Chamber staff members were ready to hand out the shopping bags at the Owensboro Convention Center between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
The event is modeled on Small Business Saturday. This year’s Shop Owensboro featured 51 participating businesses, including gift shops and clothing stores, restaurants, jewelry stores, florists, farm markets and other local businesses. Local store owners and managers said the first day had been a success.
“This seems to be the strongest Small Business Saturday I’ve seen,” said Julie McDonald, general manager of Shoe Stop in Wesleyan Park Plaza. At the store’s counter, people were completing their purchases and getting their Shop Owensboro Bingo cards stamped, for the chance to win a prize. The store also had its own gift card giveaway.
“We had a really good Black Friday, and today is really solid also,” McDonald said.
Shop Owensboro has been good for the business, McDonald said.
“A lot of people have been shopping in groups,” McDonald said. “They’re happy. They’re happy to get out.”
Tim Nugent, one of the owners of Saint Maximilian Catholic Books and Gifts, said the Halifax Drive business was participating in its first Shop Owensboro. The experience was positive, with people still shopping after the store closed at noon.
“We had people early this morning,” Nugent said. “It was a good, busy day.
By Jim Mayse Messenger-Inquirer