Downtown Shop Walk returns for ‘Lorain Better Block’

Businesses in downtown Lorain conducted a “Downtown Shop Walk,” in 2017 to focus on retail shops on Broadway and are continuing efforts into May this year.

From noon to 8 p.m., May 19, the Downtown Shop Walk will continue with the “Lorain Better Block.”

The Shop Walk encourages downtown shopping areas to work together to bring interest to the community to stop in and shop small, according to a news release from Mia Arredondo of Jevon Terance Boutique on Broadway.

The Lorain County Health Department is working with the Lorain Historical Society’s “Lorain Proud” effort to create a “Lorain Better Block” to show residents what a “better block” in Lorain could look like, the release said.

The event will take place on Broadway between Fifth and Eighth streets.

It will display beautification, arts, multiple vendors, a few food and drink stops and foot and bike traffic on Broadway, the release said.

Arredondo said she believes “the event will be advantageous for established businesses to participate even if they are outside the specific areas identified for this event.”

The Downtown Shop Walk will provide participating shoppers with a shopping passport that includes the names, addresses and a description about the participating businesses.

Each business will validate the shopper’s visit by stamping the passport at the conclusion of the shop visit, Arredondo said.

After at least eight businesses on the passport are visited, shoppers will turn in their passport to the last store visited and write their name on a raffle ticket for each individual merchant’s raffle basket.

Each merchant will select a raffle ticket from their own business’ raffle.

To participate, one must: receive a Downtown Shop Walk Passport from the first location you visit; ask each business to validate your passport before you leave; visit at least eight locations participating during their business hours or core hours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; turn in Shop Walk passport from the last visited location and enter into the raffle for each business by filling out the raffle tickets provided to you.

Winners are contacted week of May 21 and no purchase is necessary to participate.

The businesses participating must: have stores open from times 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; donate a raffle item of at least $20 which is representative of their business; encourage regular customers to take part in the Downtown Shop Walk to learn about other businesses on Broadway; and disperse the passport to interested shoppers.

The 17 participating businesses are: Zelek’s Flower Shop; Red Carpet Haircuttin’ Salon; Scorcher’s Casual Eatery; Marzava’s & Son’s Swiss American Jewelers; Boarder’s Board Game Cafe; Nielsen’s Jewelers; Broadway Mercantile; Jevon Terance Clothing Boutique; The 530 Shop Ltd; Speak of the Devil; Legendz Barbershop; Lorain Historical Society’s Gift Shop at the Moore House; The Lifestyle Studio; Lolipop’s; Footprint Tours; Total Immortal Tattoo Hollisitc Progression Music Therapy & Lessons; and K Cream Korner.

A hydration station will be available at Black River Landing.

Email shopjevon@gmail. com for questions.