Main Street El Dorado and the Downtown Business Association are asking shoppers to “Love Local” To help local businesses get back on their feet as they recover from adverse economic effects caused by the coronavirus pandemic,
The event is set for 4 until 7 p.m. June 25 in the Union Square District and will include giveaways, sales and live music.
Love Local is part of a continuing effort by MSE and the DBA to support downtown retailers who have had to curtail operations or close temporarily because of COVID-19, said Beth Brumley, executive director MSE.
Since early spring, MSE and the DBA have been working together to find creative ideas to promote downtown and help businesses stay afloat during the public health emergency.
Several downtown businesses temporarily shuttered, while others modified operations by offering curbside pickup service, deliveries and interactive projects.
Between March and April, the groups teamed up for a prize giveaway in which customers who purchased $25 gift cards/certificates from participating businesses or directly from MSE were eligible for a drawing to win one of five $200 gift cards that can be spent like cash in downtown retail stores and restaurants.
Murphy USA helped to sponsor the promotion.
MSE also added the Union County Virtual Tip Jar to its website to provide the public with an opportunity to help service-industry workers whose jobs were affected by COVID-19.
The virus has also forced MSE and the DBA to cancel events, including First Thursday, which was launched in August 2018 to help boost foot traffic for downtown businesses.
DBA members come up with a First Thursday theme each month and with assistance from MSE, downtown merchants plan family-friendly activities that are similar to those that are lined up for Love Local.
Brumley noted that June 25 falls on Thursday and while it is not the first Thursday of the month, Love Local will be “First Thursday-esque.”
With the cancellation of the June installment of downtown summer events, Brumley said MSE was looking for an event to fill in for June and to pull people downtown.
Showdown at Sunset , the Summer Concert Series and Grill Wars, all are typically scheduled for the fourth Thursday in June, July and August but the COVID-19 outbreak has altered plans this year.
Showdown, the long-running historical reenactment of a deadly gunfight that took place on the streets of El Dorado in the early 1900s, has been scrapped for 2020 and the Summer Concert Series, which is co-presented by MAD, and Grill Wars have been postponed until July and August.
“So, the Main Street board of directors reached out to the downtown merchants wanting to know what they could do to help their businesses. Since we’re not doing Grill Wars or the concert series in June, we wanted to do something we thought would benefit the businesses,” Brumley said.
Love Local will also serve to let the shopping public know that downtown businesses have largely reopened and are offering some variation of service.
Brumley said downtown merchants have been encouraged to move merchandise outside for tent and sidewalk sales, noting that some shoppers are still skittish about entering stores.
Shoppers will have more options during Love Local. Since COVID-19 hit, MSE and the DBA have welcomed three new businesses to the downtown retail family.
Over the past several weeks, Off the Rail Cafe moved into the railroad car in Corrine Court, offering breakfast and brunch fare; Madison Kate & Co., a women’s clothing and accessories boutique, opened at 301 N. Jackson; and Datamax set up shop at 106 W. Main, Suite 408, and specializes in business and office supplies, equipment, furniture and support services.
And there are more to come, Brumley announced.
Two nutrition and health stores are expected to open soon in Downtown El Dorado — Wildcat Nutrition at 104 E. Elm, the former space of the Latest Wrinkle Boutique, which closed earlier this year, and Diamond Nutrition at 103 S. Washington, the former site of Southern Threads, which moved to 211 E. Main.
“We’re super excited to have all these new businesses opening during all of this craziness. We’ve been fortunate to lose only a couple to online sales, so kudos to our downtown,” Brumley said.
She added that a planned expansion for Union Square Guest Quarters will occupy the former space of The Southern Hippie, which closed its brick-and-mortar store at 214 E. Main to focus on online sales.
A business prospect is also considering the vacant storefront at 141 E. Elm for a new retail space, Brumley said. The East Elm space is the former site of the Union County Sports Hall of Fame Museum, which is now located at 412 E. Faulkner.
Brumley said Downtown El Dorado is also saying goodbye to two longtime businesses.
The Travel Emporium and Mr. Tuxedo — whose businesses have essentially come to a standstill because travel and activities that call for formal wear, respectively, have slowed considerably because of COVID-19 — are relocating to other spots outside the city’s Central Business District.
MSE and the DBA are encouraging residents to attend Love Local to see explore the shopping options that are available in Downtown El Dorado.
Local singer-musician Jimmy Lewis will perform on the east side (Jefferson Avenue) of the Union County Courthouse from 5 until 6:30 p.m.
“We wanted to have that atmosphere of live music. We will not be setting up the bleachers because of social distancing requirements,” Brumley said.
MSE will also be giving away gift certificates to downtown restaurants to lucky winners.
From 4 until 7 p.m., LifeShare Blood Center will host a blood drive on Main Street.
Brumley said there will also be a live remote broadcast on local radio stations during the day.
“We want to let the community know that downtown is open and we’re pretty much back up and running and we need your support,” Brumley said.
For more information or to purchase a Love Downtown T-shirt, visit the MSE website at https://ift.tt/3e3Nri2.
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June 15, 2020 at 09:47AM
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Love Local invites El Dorado to resume downtown shopping - El Dorado News-Times
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