Shop Small Saturday will take place CONTACT: Joe Jennison, (319) 210-9935 or director@visitmvl.com
Mount Vernon-Lisbon merchants and volunteers prepare two Shop Small Saturday events in November
MOUNT VERNON – The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group (CDG), a Main Street Iowa organization, has announced two Shop Small Saturday events on two different Saturdays this year: Saturday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Shop Small Mount Vernon-Lisbon is part of the national Small Business Saturday campaign initiated by American Express and taking place throughout the country. As part of the local Mount Vernon-Lisbon event, shoppers will have opportunities to win prizes each of the two Saturdays.
“Our retailers wanted to create a Shop Early campaign this year by adding a Holiday Open House Friday and Saturday, Nov. 5 and 6, to the community schedule,” said Joe Jennison, Director of Main Street and Marketing for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group. “We thought this might be a great opportunity to create a Shop Small Saturday partnership to assist both merchants and shoppers to make the most of this year’s back-to-business holiday shopping season.”
“Small businesses, like small Iowa towns, are the back-bone of our nation and our economy,” said Catherine Kennedy, Chair of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon project. “Support for small businesses and small towns is necessary now more than ever. Please plan on joining us on both November 6 and 27 to Shop Small and give back to our small businesses!”
Each Shop Small Saturday will include a sign-up fishbowl event, where shoppers are encouraged to stop by Shop Small HQ, fill out a form with a cell phone before they begin shopping. At the top and bottom of every hour, volunteers will reach into the fishbowl and call one registered shopper via cell phone. If the shopper can get back to the fishbowl in 10 minutes, they will receive up to $25 in Community Cash good for any business in Mount Vernon and Lisbon.
Shop Small Mount Vernon-Lisbon will take place rain or shine on Saturday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For the Nov. 27 event, the traditional date for Shop Small Saturday, an early bird prize giveaway of $100 in Community Cash sponsored by Bauman’s will be added to the roster of prizes and giveaways. In all, nearly $1,000 in gift certificates and prizes will be given to shoppers over those two days. In case of inclement weather, updates on hours and event schedule will be posted to www.facebook.com/visitmvl or through www.visitmvl.com
About Mount Vernon
Historic Mount Vernon, Iowa, is home to 4500 residents, including1200 college students enrolled at Cornell College. Located in Eastern Iowa at the intersection of Highways 30 and 1, 20 miles north of Iowa City and 15 miles east of Cedar Rapids, it boasts a vibrant uptown business community with numerous antique and specialty stores, restaurants, coffee houses, commercial art galleries, and three National Historic Districts.
About the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group exists to improve the social and economic well-being of Mount Vernon and Lisbon by capitalizing on their unique identity, assets, and character. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community in 2008, and practices economic development within the context of historic preservation.
About Main Street
The Main Street Approach is a copyrighted process of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Program has been used in Iowa since 1986 with a total of 56 communities having participated. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community on March 4, 2008, by the State of Iowa, after submitting a comprehensive application and presenting to a select board of reviewers.
Saturday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
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