EOU supports Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29

EOU supports La Grande Main Street for Small Business Saturday event

Contact: Saira Siddiqui | La Grande Main Street Director
541-963-1223 | director@lagrandemainstreet.org

November 24, 2014

LA GRANDE, Ore. – La Grande Main Street Downtown and Eastern Oregon University are getting behind Small Business Saturday, founded in 2010 to encourage people to shop at small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

This year, the big day is Nov. 29 and 20 local businesses are participating.

“For every dollar spent at a local business, 45 cents is reinvested locally, versus 15 cents if you shop at a corporate chain. That’s quite a bit if you look at a full year of earnings,” says Dean Travis, front end manager of Red Cross Drugstore, on the importance of shopping local.

“I can easily say 10 percent of all my profits go back into the community,” says local business owner Jim Whitbeck of Blue Mountain Outfitters.

On Small Business Saturday, shoppers making purchases at any of the 20 participating businesses can enter a raffle to win a gift basket filled with goodies and gift certificates from local merchants. The more businesses they purchase from, the more chances they have at winning the basket.

In partnership with La Grande Main Street, EOU is also encouraging anyone affiliated with the university to go shopping downtown for the event, as the raffle tickets serve a dual purpose. Entries will enable EOU to track the percentage of faculty and staff, students, alumni and their family members making purchases.

“We’re hoping to gain an indication of the economic impact EOU has on the overall downtown business community,” explains Peter Wordelman, professor of music. “So if you are in town Saturday, Nov. 29, please show your support and impact on our downtown businesses!” 

For more information visit www.lagrandemainstreet.org or www.facebook.com/LGMainStreet.

> Gift Basket Raffle Entry Form