Small Business Saturday in Alexandria: Look for Shopping Bags, Gift Cards, Coupons

PHOTO by R Kennedy for Visit Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce will once again be handing out shopping bags containing maps, coupons, prizes, and special treats for small business Saturday shoppers. On Saturday, Chamber staff will be by Market Square between 9 a.m. and noon and then will move to Del Ray in front of Pork Barrel BBQ around 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Encouraging shoppers to kick off their holiday shopping and patronize local businesses, random bags will contain gift cards to local eateries or attractions. For example, A la Lucia, Pork Barrel BBQ/Sweet Fire Donna/Holy Cow, Port City Brewery, and Red Rock Pizza, all donated gift cards. Other businesses provided coupons, special deals, give away items, and other treats for shoppers, including free tickets from George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Historic Alexandria. Seventy lucky shoppers will receive a collectible plate from George Washington’s Mount Vernon and every bag will contain maps and a special surprise from Mount Vernon.

As the voice of business in the City, the Chamber works with the various stakeholders in the City, including VisitAlexandria, the Old Town Boutique District, the Del Ray Business Association, and the West End Business Association, among others, to ensure Alexandria remains one of the country’s top venues for small business shopping. These groups will be doing combined promotions, including random acts of Holiday Cheer with surprise giveaways from the Elf Prize Patrol, plus pop-up musical performances through the Alexandria Arts Alliance, and hands-on activities at the Mobile Art Lab.

“We are excited to be promoting Alexandria and our businesses as the place to ‘shop small’ for big rewards. The majority of our member businesses are independently owned and thus face unique challenges in competing for shoppers. Programs such as this provide cross-marketing opportunities, and establish Alexandria as the ideal location where shoppers can find one-of-a-kind treasures as they begin their holiday preparations,” stated Joe Haggerty, president and CEO, for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.