Shop downtown Bluffton this fall and have a chance to win – gift cards and prizes from local merchants.

Recently nearly 2,500 Bluffton postal customers received a post card inviting them to “shop, sip, eat, play, local.” In a nutshell its message encourages shopping locally.

The postcard makes area residents aware of a Bluffton merchants and Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce major fall promotion. It centers on a concept titled “3/50 Project.” The nationwide project carries the tagline: “Save your local economy three stores at a time.”

This is Bluffton downtown merchant’s fourth year in sponsoring this promotion.

The promotion encourages persons to pick three locally independent businesses, and spend $50 each month between the three.

According to Aphaphanh Nussbaum and Julie Stratton, who have helped create the Bluffton effort: “The idea is to commit $50 each month to locally-owned businesses, which will also help restart the local economy.”

“Maybe that means rethinking where you currently invest your money, opting to pick up that birthday card or gift in an independently-owned business instead of a chain store.

You may find a new favorite restaurant or shop and spending more than $50 a month will even have a greater impact. It’s just that simple,” they said.

To make the Bluffton 3/50 effort more enticing all shoppers who participate will be entered into a drawing for prizes. Persons may enter as many times as they wish.
Three winners will be drawn monthly for October, November and December.

Participants in the drawing may obtain entry forms and details from any participating downtown merchant. Completed entries can be dropped off at the following businesses to be considered in the monthly drawings:

• Et Cetera Shop
• Town and Country Flowers
• First National Bank
• Luke’s Bar and Grill
• Greg’s Pharmacy
• Ten Thousand Villages
• The Black Lab
• Spectrum Salon

The prize list continues to grow. Watch for later updates on prizes. And, remember the first drawing is at the end of October.