Shoppers can get free $10 vouchers to spend like cash at Savage Mill businesses this summer

Yahoo

3 days ago

As a small business owner, Leslie Alacbay is looking forward to seeing how the Savage Mill Bucks program will benefit her boutique and other shops.
Her business, jules + kate, sells handmade items, strategically curated by Alacbay. It's one of more than 70 businesses at Savage Mill, participating in Howard County's rollout of Savage Mill Bucks, an incentive program meant to increase traffic to the shopping center.
Howard County has invested $10,000 in the Savage Mill Bucks program and will give 1,000 vouchers worth $10 to spend at participating businesses. The vouchers work like cash at the shops.
The program was modeled after the successful Old Ellicott City Bucks program in 2018. County officials found that for every $10 business voucher offered, visitors spent more than $20 of their own money. The return on investment creates a significant economic impact on small businesses during the summer, which can be a slower time of year for retail businesses, according to a county news release.
Only one voucher is allowed per person per purchase. Visitors can pick up the vouchers at the visitor center in Ellicott City or Artcraft in Savage Mill.
Alacbay said she already sees an impact from the quarterly 'Girls Night Out' events hosted by Savage Mill. Participants are given a $5 voucher; on a single night, she's collected between $200 to $300. The summer-long program will make a difference financially, she said .
Alacbay has been at Savage Mill for four years, moving locations twice before landing in her current location, tucked away in the farthest part of the New Weave building next to Artcraft.
Jane Wilson, owner of Donia Collection, a handmade bag kiosk, says the vouchers are an opportunity for growth. Wilson established her business in the space in mid-March; she shares the space with four other women who each take a day of the week to sell their products.
'Savage Mill has given me the visibility I needed,' she said.
The $10 vouchers will give more people the opportunity to pick up a bag, Wilson said.
The added discount increases business by making things more affordable and 'within budget' for many customers, according to Candles by Candy manager Keilana Miller.
'$10 is a big difference for a candle,' Miller said. 'Our highest candle in here is $30, but most of them are $20. So if you're paying $10 for an 8-ounce candle, I feel like people will buy that more… I think it'll have a very positive effect.'
In addition to candles, the business offers candle-making classes. Miller says Savage Mill Bucks may increase the popularity of adult classes. The vouchers will give visitors another reason to 'come and shop' at Savage Mill, she added.
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