The Chino Valley, AZ, Chamber of Commerce encouraged local businesses and residents to participate in their “$20 on the 20th” program on April 20. Bob’s Complete Auto Repair offered oil changes for $20. According to owner Bob Layton, 22 customers took advantage of the offer, seven of which were new customers.
Below is the article as it appeared on The Daily Courier website.
Chino Valley’s $20 on the 20th program gets off to a good start
4/28/2010 9:56:00 PM
By Jerry Herrmann
The Daily Courier
Chino Valley’s $20 on the 20th program got off to a good start, according to Ab Jackson, Chino Valley Area Chamber of Commerce’s CEO.
Under this program, the chamber urges residents to spend $20 in Chino Valley on the 20th of each month instead of in another community.
Jackson told the Chino Valley Town Council Thursday a survey of Chino Valley businesses showed they had an increase in traffic on April 20 and want to continue to participate in the program.
"We will continue this program through the end of the year," he said.
The chamber also received a lot of e-mails thanking it for starting the program in Chino Valley.
The Alco Discount Store had 325 customers in the store on Tuesday, April 20, which is 50-60 more customers than usual on a normal Tuesday.
"We did all right. It will take some people some time to get used to it," Jenn Gebbie, Alco’s store manager, said. "We will definitely continue participating in the program the rest of the year. This is a good program to have locals shop locally. Why should they send their sales tax elsewhere?"
April 20 was a good day for Pinkies Nail Salon, too. "We did really good," owner Pam Swisher said. She did five $20 pedicures for new customers that day.
Swisher plans to continue participating in the program because it is a good way to get people in to see what she offers, and so they can tell others about it.
Ace Hardware co-owner Dave Sheets said April 20 was fair. His biggest complaint was people didn’t know about the program until they got in the store. After the customers found out about it, they had a tendency to participate in it, he said.
Sheets said Ace Hardware also will continue to participate in the program in some form.
Bob’s Complete Auto Repair had 22 people take it up on its $20 oil change on April 20. Out of those 22 people, owner Bob Layton said he got seven new customers.
His goal for May 20 is 35 cars through his shop.
"This program is helping small businesses like mine and stopping leakage into Prescott and Prescott Valley," he said.
Tom Payne, owner of Tom’s Print Shop, said he got a new repeat customer through the promotion. "A customer called who read about the program and had normally been doing business in Prescott, and I gave him a quote and got the job. The best part is I will be printing their monthly newsletter, so now I have a repeat customer," he said.
Marie Hughes, owner of Honey-Do Hawaiian Shaved Ice Café & Drive-Thru, said she and her staff sold six $20 gift vouchers on April 20.
"This is definitely a good way to get people into my shop," she said.
Patty Marquez, one of the owners of A&P Oriental Express Restaurant, said they didn’t see any more business than usual. She is not sure if she will continue to participate in the program.
Jackson said he knew of seven to 10 restaurants in Chino Valley that did good business on April 20.
To read this article on The Daily Courier website, visit http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/north_central/car-slams-into-muncie-auto-repair-shop.