Copperas Cove businesses getting on board for Small Business Saturday
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Small Business Saturday is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and this year the Copperas Cove small business community is hoping for shoppers to come out and support them in droves.
Together, the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation and the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce have been recruiting businesses to participate in the daylong event. Local businesses to include the Taste of Cove Food Truck Park, Printscape LLC, and the Copperas Cove Leader-Press are also sponsoring the event.
On Nov. 26 at 9 a.m. at the Taste of Cove Food Truck Park in Copperas Cove, the day will start out with a party. Shoppers will receive a map with a list of participating businesses. At the kickoff party downtown, shoppers will receive a stamp card that will be stamped by each business a shopper visits and makes a purchase.
There will be 2 prize baskets. For one, a shopper has to show proof of $25 spent that day at a participating business (along with the card being fully stamped), and the other a minimum (and proof) of $50 being spent. They can spend at one location or multiple vendors, but stamp cards must be full.
The drawing for basket winners will be on Monday, Dec. 5 at noon.
Diane Drussell, Assistant Director of the CCEDC, said participating businesses are not limited to those with brick-and-mortar storefronts.
If a business owner works from home or has an online business, Drussell will help find a location for them to set up shop, just for Saturday’s event. For example, Waffle Cone has eight spots that Drussell will be filling with business pop-up space.
Tasha Roberts, owner of the food truck park as well as longtime downtown business Babies ‘N Things, is also preparing for the kickoff party, complete with DJ entertainment to get shoppers in the mood to shop ‘til they drop. Roberts is also offering premier spaces at her park downtown for businesses to rent a spot for the day. Likewise, Printscape is offering printing services to participating businesses.
The Copperas Leader-Press is preparing a map that will direct shoppers to the more than 20 businesses participating so far. The Leader-Press is offering spotlight ads to small businesses for $30 that will highlight them on the map.
Among them are local businesses like Babies n Things, Betina’s Backyard Boutique, Card my Yard, Cinergy Cinemas, Great Clips, Pure Skin Repair, Shanel’s Divine Touch Baskets, The Cove Theater, The Hair Parlour, and more.
But there’s room for more businesses to sign up, Drussell said. Those who are interested in registering can do so at no cost, with the application download at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/RkOh33k. They can also contact her at the CCEDC, 207 S. 3rd St., Suite 200, in Copperas Cove, or call (254) 547-7874.
Businesses are asked to donate an item for the grand prize drawing, which will go to one lucky shopper. Business owners are encouraged to hold their own drawings and offer incentives to shoppers to keep returning.
Prior to the event, on Nov. 15, which is also the deadline to register for Small Business Saturday, the Copperas Cove EDC is hosting a prep workshop, with free registration here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/small-business-saturday-prep-workshop-ticke.... The EDC will also have printed copies of the application at the workshop, if needed.