Have you started on your Christmas shopping? Supporting local businesses has a profound impact on our community. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday sales are expected to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023, reaching between $979.5 billion and $989 billion. By choosing to shop locally, you contribute to our community's growth, ensuring more of your spending stays in Abilene to support local jobs and services, regardless of where they’re located in our community.
If that doesn’t convince you, I have something I’d like you to try with me. I want you to think about your favorite Abilene business. It can be a restaurant, a bookstore, or a boutique. Do you have one in mind? While thinking about that I want you to keep this statistic in mind. In a study done by Constant Contact, the holiday season generates over a quarter of the annual sales in roughly half of small businesses. If the small business is in the retail/ecommerce space, that number increases to over seventy percent. Every dollar spent locally circulates in our community up to seven times before its impact fades.
As a special promotion this holiday season, several downtown businesses are participating in the Holiday Shopping Passport initiative. From November 15 to December 15, our unique downtown stores will offer exclusive discounts and the chance to win amazing prizes—all while you support our local economy and in this case, downtown Abilene in particular.
With that in mind, let me tell you how you can participate and have a chance to win some prizes while you are at it.
Step 1: Pick Up Your Passport
Kick off your holiday shopping adventure by picking up a passport at any participating downtown store or at the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau. See participating locations here.
Step 2: Shop and Save
Show your passport each time you shop at a participating store to receive a 10% discount on your purchase! (Some exclusions may apply—be sure to check in-store for details.)
Step 3: Collect Stamps
Each time you make a purchase, you’ll receive a stamp in your passport. Every stamp is an entry into the grand prize drawing, so the more you shop, the greater your chance to win!
Step 4: Enter to Win
To qualify for the prize drawing, collect at least two stamps in your passport. Return completed passports by December 18, and you’ll be entered to win one of three incredible gift baskets, each filled with goodies contributed by our local businesses.
This holiday season, I encourage you to seek out your favorite Abilene small business and let them know they’re valuable and appreciated.
I know you expect to hear this from me, but we really are lucky to be in Abilene, Texas. Our community consistently finds a way to impress me with how much care there is for one another. So, let’s make this another great year for all our small businesses this holiday season.
Onward!
Doug