Small Business Saturday in the Mat-Su Valley

WASILLA — Shops across the Mat-Su Valley participated in Small Business Saturday in various ways Nov. 27.

Both Palmer and Wasilla’s chambers of commerce orchestrated month-long campaigns coinciding with Small Businesses Saturday and its core message of getting out in supporting local establishments amid the holiday shopping season, the busiest time of year for any small business owner.

The Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce tried out a new way to support small businesses and local shoppers with this year’s Support Local November campaign, Support Local BINGO.

Customers picked up bingo cards from the Wasilla Chamber office and many of the participating businesses and filled them up with stickers by completing certain tasks, such as making a purchase, following their store on social media, getting a quote, or speaking to a representative.

Customers had until Nov. 30 to turn their cards into any of the 49 participating locations or the drop box at the Wasilla Chamber office to be entered into the drawing for a variety of prizes. Winners are announced Wednesday, Dec. 1.

Just Imagine Toys owner, Mary Scheie has participated in a variety of Small Business Saturday programs for many years. She said that she appreciates the Wasilla Chamber’s latest endeavor with Support Local BINGO. She said it’s a fun way to interact with the customers and helps everyone find out more about small businesses in the area.

“I love it,” Scheie said.

Scheie has owned and operated Just Imagine Toys for nearly two decades. She said that talking to the customers and watching their children grow has always been her favorite aspect of the business. She said that local shoppers have always been good to her and other small businesses across the community.

“People are thinking: small business. It seems like they’re trying to do their shopping locally,” Scheie said.

Each holiday season, participating Palmer businesses stamp punchcards, giving local shoppers the opportunity to win free Bingles. Customers can pick up punchcards at participating locations across Palmer and collect stamps from Nov. 20 through Dec. 20.

There are 45 participating shops to choose from this year. Each punchcard contains a list of sites. There will be five drawings offering $500 in Bingles per week and a chance for all names in the raffle to win $1,000 in Bingles at the end of this year’s Shop Palmer run.

Cobb Street Market offered a storewide discount throughout the day on Small Business Saturday. Employee, Alex Jasek said it was a day of “beautiful chaos.”

“There were a lot of people and it was a lot of fun,” Jasek said. It’s ex imp to support small businesses. Here, it’s authentic. It has meaning and life in it.”

Cobb Street Market owner, Andrea Fuller said they’ve enjoyed the Palmer Chamber’s Bingle program and the coinciding Shop Palmer campaign. She said it mixes things up and seems to keep gaining popularity around the community.

“I think it’s amazing,” Fuller said. “We love working with the Bingles. I’m absolutely all 100 percent for the Bingle program.”

The Palmer Chamber will be selling Bingles at a booth during Colony Christmas.

Bingles can be purchased year-round at the Palmer Chamber office or over the phone. For more information, call 907-745-2880 or visit palmerchamber.org.

For more information about the Wasilla Chamber, visit business.wasillachamber.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com