HILLCREST (KGTV) — Small businesses in Hillcrest are turning up the heat this holiday season, offering customers more than just products and services – they're providing chances to win big while supporting the local community.
The "Shop Hillcrest for the Holidays" initiative rewards customers with raffle tickets for every purchase, giving them opportunities to win a Hillcrest shopping spree. The program runs through December 24th and includes several local businesses working together to boost foot traffic during the crucial holiday shopping period.
"The one thing exciting about the Shop Hillcrest is that all of our neighbors around the community are getting together just to kind of give back to the community like, hey, thank you for supporting a small local business," said Arlette Wizard, manager at NOLA on 5th.
The restaurant is among the participating businesses using creative incentives to attract customers during what economists describe as a mixed holiday economy. High prices have created uncertainty for many shoppers, making initiatives like this particularly important for small businesses.
"The initiative right now is really important, especially as a business located on 5th and 10th, because we do have all of this construction going on right now. It's just nice to kind of bring everyone together, let people know, hey, with all this going on, we're still here," Wizard said.
The push comes as consumers navigate economic concerns that have affected shopping patterns this season.
"Consumers were worried, consumer sentiment is way down, consumers are worried about the economy, the unemployment rate is up," said Dr. Alan Gin from the University of San Diego.
Despite these concerns, economists report that holiday spending has remained strong, particularly during the early shopping period.
"The period from Black Friday through Cyber Monday was the busiest that we've had in years. So, we saw a lot of people going out and shopping during that particular period," Gin said.
When shoppers choose to support small businesses, the economic impact extends far beyond the holiday season.
"It in particular, it helps the local economy because if you shop with a local seller as opposed to say, buying stuff from Amazon, that money then stays in the community," Gin said.
The Shop Hillcrest for the Holidays program continues through December 24th, turning every purchase into a step closer to winning rewards while supporting the local business community.
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