TACOMA, Wash. — At McCoy Kids, a toy store downhill from the Tacoma Armory, owner Lauren Soto says business has been slow this summer. Too slow.
"Folks just aren't coming in," she said. "Whether they don't know about you, whether they are conserving their money, who knows?"
Soto says she's lucky foot traffic is her biggest problem. Somebody broke 50 windows on Tacoma's Antique Row. Then, last Saturday, a fatal car wreck knocked out power for businesses on Pacific Avenue. They were not be able to get the lights on for two weeks.
Soto tried to think up with a fun way to get people into her store and others and came up with Small Biz Bingo.
"In the month of July, folks across Tacoma can pick up a bingo card," she said. "They can go and visit 26 different locations across town. They either make a small purchase or complete an activity, so here we'll have you spin a top or build a puzzle, and then when you get bingo's, you can go ahead and redeem them for free things at the different businesses."
At many of the businesses like King's Books and Destiny Comics, tagging them on social media will earn a stamp on your bingo card. At Lauda Stationary Store, mailing out one of their postcards gets you a stamp. But at Mattice Beauty Supply on South 12th Street, Mattice Hoyt isn't stamping your card until you try on one of her wigs.
So we did, much to her delight!
It's about more than winning at bingo, the event is also designed to get you inside a store that you might support with shopping.
"So, this is a way of reminding folks that shopping local has a meaningful impact on their community and the people they interact with every day," Soto said.
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