Buy local this Christmas at Shop Small Saturday in Monroe

Shop Small Saturday is coming up on Nov. 27 and there’s no better day to begin your Christmas shopping. You’re invited to start the day with breakfast at a local restaurant and then head out to all of your favorite stores where you should find some unique gifts and some great deals. You can kick off the shopping by stop by the Visitors Center (227 S. Broad Street ) or the Art Center (205 S. Broad Street) to pick up your shopping passport (or click here to print your own)  for your chance to win Downtown Dollars! If you complete four items on the card you have a chance to win $100 or complete six items for a chance to win $200.  All entries must be turned in on Small Business Saturday. Cards can be returned to the red mailbox at the Art Center.  

There are many reasons to support Small Business Saturday, not the least of which is the fact that these are your friends and neighbors providing goods and services to your own community.

As reported by the Walton County Chamber of Commerce, many people don’t realize the importance of keeping their hard-earned dollars in their own community. Besides the convenience of staying close to home, the tax dollars generated are also supporting their police and fire department, parks and recreation facilities and other government services.

As always, be alert during the Christmas Shopping season since it also brings out some of the less desirable shopping practices. Here are some tips on how to shop security smart from local police departments.

• Observe your surroundings; report any suspicious or loitering persons.
• Store packages in the trunk of your vehicle and not in the passenger compartment.  Covering items with a blanket or coat is NOT a deterrent to thieves!
• Avoid putting packages into your vehicle, then continuing to shop. Most stores will hold packages until you are ready to leave.
• Park your vehicle in a well-lit area.
• Shop with others and allow retail employees to assist you in transporting packages to your vehicle.
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash.  Use secure payment such as a credit card and check your account statements frequently.
• Have purchases delivered to your home.
• Use a cell phone camera to immediately record the serial numbers of purchases.  Most electronics have a sticker on the side of the box containing the serial number and other numbers unique to that particular item.  To be extra diligent, you can send the photos to your own email account so they can be accessed from any computer. Should the worst happen, this information can be provided to police.

For an idea on what you may find in your local stores, or page through to find it on page 48 – 52 in the latest issue of Walton Living Magazine at this link.

Thank you for shopping small with us this Holiday season!