Downtown merchants up ante on giving

By DAVID GUNTER

Feature correspondent

SANDPOINT — Business owners here are a giving bunch. Nary a week goes by that they aren't asked to pony up in support of this school or that scholarship, this fundraiser or that festival.

So it should come as no surprise that downtown merchants got together recently to discuss the situation. As a group, they decided on a blanket response to this never-ending call on their largesse.

The result? On April 30, more than 20 businesses in the Sandpoint Shopping District will double down to give even more.

The single-day event — called Spring for Sandpoint — has each of those businesses teamed up with a local non-profit, channeling a percentage of the day's receipts to that cause.

“Anyone who operates a business here is asked practically daily to donate an item for an auction or to give in some way — and we do,” said Ranel Hanson, owner of the downtown clothing boutique Zany Zebra and co-chair of the event along with Deanna Harris of Sharon's Hallmark. “This is a way to up the ante, give a little more and have the community participate as we boost giving.”

Timing is everything here, according to Hanson, who said the shopping extravaganza was scheduled to offset the slower sales of the springtime “shoulder season” for tourism.

“It's a downtown party for locals,” she said, adding that the event will include shopping sprees, gift certificates, classes and family entertainment throughout the daylong celebration. “And it's a way for all of us to give where we live.”

For kids, Creations on the Cedar Street Bridges is hosting face painting, ceramic flowerpot painting, tissue paper flower craft and live portraits by local artist Mary Maio.

Zero Point has a do-it-yourself crystal terrarium class in store, while Weekends & Co. plans kitchen gadget demos, Sharon's Hallmark will offer 1-minute manicures and e-cloth demos, Great Stuff hosts a book signing with author Jane Fritz, Larson's features games and prizes and Zany Zebra is set to display handmade poodle skirts by Jody Meyers, just in time to prepare for Lost in the ‘50s.

Shoppers will be given a Spring for Sandpoint “passport” at the first store they visit. Once they've had it stamped by eight participating businesses, their names go into a drawing for one of three downtown shopping sprees to be given away at the end of the day.

Beyond giving, the Sandpoint Shopping District — which was formed six years ago and primarily calls the shopping corridors of First and Cedar its footprint — is charged with reminding locals that the town's historical core has plenty of activity going on year-round. It's a message that already resonates around the region, Hanson noted.

“There's lots to do downtown, which people are starting to discover,” she said. “We've had more traffic from Coeur d'Alene and Spokane than we have in previous years, because people like to get away and take advantage of our small town feel.”

Similarly, the hometown atmosphere fuels ongoing support from these merchants when it comes to standing with non-profits in need of funding.

“We believe in it,” Hanson said. “We think it's important, as members of the community, to support our community.”