On Halloween day, I heard the first Christmas/holiday song on the radio. That surprised me – it always does. Each year the marketing and the promotions come earlier and earlier. But if there was ever a year to consider supporting Buffalo’s small businesses early on, it’s 2020.
Every year, Buffalo Place and the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC) set up a Queen City Pop Up Program, which helps to establish small retailers who hopefully grow large enough to rent their own storefronts. This year, it’s going to be tough on downtown retailers due to the pandemic. With many people working from home, there will be fewer customers. Also, Amazon shopping has exploded, which is also hard to compete against.
As a way to bolster business in the downtown core, Buffalo Place and BUDC have launched a new program that encourages people to shop downtown. The hope is that the incentive – a Downtown Dollars Giveaway – will establish and strengthen “customer relationship development, additional revenue opportunities, and return visitation encouragement.”
Here’s how it works:
Queen City Pop Up Program will be awarding $50 Downtown Dollars Giveaway Certificates to 50 winners from November 9th through December 24, 2020. The contest will be presented through the Buffalo Place social media channels. Several times per week throughout the promotion, Buffalo Place will post a photo and description of a participating Downtown Dollars Giveaway business. Entrants will be instructed to “like” the post and featured business and tag two friends in order to be entered to win a $50 Downtown Dollars Certificate. Winners will be randomly selected at the conclusion of the day. The winner may use the Downtown Dollars Certificate at ANY participating business. A full list of participating businesses will be featured on www.buffaloplace.com as well as on the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation website.
“We are pleased to present the 2020 Shop Small ALL Season: Downtown Dollars Giveaway program in support of the Downtown retail and restaurant community,” said Michael T. Schmand, Executive Director of Buffalo Place, Inc. “We are grateful that our longstanding partners at Buffalo Urban Development Corporation are working with us. We are confident this promotion will shine a spotlight on, and support, our wonderful Downtown business community during the holiday season.”
“It’s more important than ever before to support and promote Buffalo’s Downtown businesses as they face the challenges of the pandemic.” Mayor Byron W. Brown said. “The Downtown Dollars Giveaway is a fun way to do that and reward our residents, Downtown workers and visitors with the chance to win $50 by spreading the word about the many great businesses in our Downtown core. This is another creative partnership between the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation’s Queen City Pop-Up initiative and Buffalo Place to showcase Downtown retailers.”
Complete details regarding the 2020 Shop Small ALL Season: Downtown Dollars Giveaway promotion are available online at www.buffaloplace.com.