Gift card program to support gas disaster businesses

Merrimack Valley communities devastated by the natural gas disaster are trying to lure shoppers to support their local businesses with gift certificates and other incentives to make the most of Small Business Saturday this weekend. North Andover put together a gift card incentive that offers rebates of up to 50 percent in the form of gift cards that can be used at retailers anywhere. “We figured we’d leverage a gift card program using funding announced this week,” said Town Manager Andrew Maylor. “If you visit one of those stores, you’ll submit a form and you can get up to 50 percent back in a form of a gift card.” Folks who shop at more than 60 businesses in the North Andover area this Saturday and Sunday and spend $25 to $49.99 will receive a $10 gift card; shoppers spending $50 to $99.99 receive $25; $100 to $199 receive $50; and $200 and over receive $100. Maylor said the town put together the program quickly to help businesses trying to back on their feet out at a critical time. “You may see a business open and think ‘They’re OK,’ but it’s not what you see on the surface. The effect of closing six to eight weeks, because of this gas explosion, can impact these businesses’ abilities to stay open and thrive five to six months from now,” he said. Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera encouraged shoppers to hit Lawrence, too. “Saturday is local business Saturday and so we’re encouraging people to do that in the affected areas, that’s South Union for us and South Broadway, Salem. … If you’re watching football, call up and get pizza from All Star, get pizza from Jim’s, Chinese food down at Golden House, we’re expecting people to eat in those places,” Rivera said. “We are encouraging people,” he said. “There’s a big effort being brought.”