‘Shop Small’ initiative prizes grow to $8,600
Entries being accepted through Sunday, April 26
POTTSTOWN » An effort designed to focus attention on small businesses along the Route 422 corridor impacted by the coronavirus pandemic has entered a new phase.
The “Shop Small to Win Big” initiative is now accepting entries from those interested in winning the prize — a prize that has grown to a total of 86 gift cards valued at $8,600.
To be eligible to win, people need to make a single $50 purchase from one of the 86 participating businesses and submit their receipt. Purchases must be made between Monday, April 20 and Sunday, April 26.
The “Shop Small to Win Big” initiative was the idea of Chris Lerch, directorofmarketingforSportsPlex
Management Group, which owns the 422 SportsPlex in Pottstown. The idea was to bring attention to the small businesses along the 422 corridor — some of which are closed due to orders from Gov. Tom Wolf, while others that may be operating with reduced hours or different operating procedures.
“The main idea behind it was that single businesses on their own couldn’t put up a giant prize but collectively we could,” Lerch said Friday. He added that the response from businesses “far exceeded expectations.”
He began asking businesses to donate a $100 gift card toward a prize package. The original goal was to get 30 businesses involved for prize valued at $3,000. He said the current prize “accomplishes the goal with a wow factor.”
The gift cards that have been donated come from a wide variety of businesses along Route 422 from Pottstown to King of Prussia — and includes restaurants, retail outlets and service businesses.
Purchases can be for a meal, online shopping or a future service from one of the businesses, Lerch said. To be eligible, a copy of the receipt for a purchase made between April 20 through April 26 needs to be submitted. It can either be messaged through the Facebook events page https://www.facebook.com/ events/226732281872967/ page or emailed to Lerch at clerch@ sportsplexmg.com.
Lerch began reaching out to businesses earlier this month to see if they would be interested in participating. As word spread, and participating businesses began marketing their participation, businesses began reaching out to him. On Friday afternoon he stopped accepting business participation, which capped the prize at 86 gift cards.
The prize will remain as a single prize, awarded to one winner on April 27, Lerch added.
“This gave me more of a sense of purpose these last two weeks — a sense of contributing,” he added. Lerch had previously said he likes working with the community and small business owners, and saw the initiative as an opportunity to “help out.”
For more information about the
Shop Small to Win Big initiative and a list of participating businesses visit https://www.facebook. com/Hello-422-107484017378117/ or www.hello422.com.