By: Brian Genest – 11/22
Here’s something to put you in the holiday spirit: Shop in Dracut for Christmas this year and you could win a $500 gift card to the town business of your choice.
To promote in-town shopping and support local businesses, “Make It Dracut for the Holidays” was put together by the members of the Economic Development Committee and Dracut Economic Development Project Planner Dan Phelps.
For the promotion, Dracut’s retail businesses and restaurants have been put into 12 categories. To participate in the prize drawing, shop in at least one store in each category in the month of November and have the representative from the store stamp your entry form. Then submit your completed entry form into the prize drawing. (No purchase is necessary at the stores, but you’re certainly encouraged to do so!)
In addition to that $500 gift card for first prize, there will be three other winners: a $50 gift card will be awarded for second prize and two third-place winners will each receive $25 gift cards.
You don’t have to be a Dracut resident to participate, either. All are welcome.
The winners will be announced at the Dracut Holiday Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 3, at the Daoulas School Complex on Lakeview Avenue.
Entry forms are available at the participating stores, as well as Dracut Town Hall, the library, and the senior center.
For more information, including a complete list of participating merchants, or to print out an entry form, visit www.makeitdracut.org/holidays/.
“Make It Dracut for the Holidays” is just the latest effort to help stimulate the local economy by supporting town businesses. In the last couple of years, there’s been a renewed focus on economic development and it’s paying off for the town and its residents.
Have you noticed all the new businesses in Dracut? Month after month, there are ribbon cuttings, grand openings, and new offerings all over town. Dracut is home to a wide variety of different businesses and new ones are opening all the time, providing the town with more tax revenue and citizens with more in-town choices.
Bringing new businesses to town is just one area of focus when it comes to economic development. Supporting existing businesses is another.
Every month, an existing establishment is named “business of the month” and highlighted in an article by Phelps on the town’s economic development website. Some of the Businesses featured this year include Scola’s Restaurant, Brox Farm, Wignall Animal Hospital, Essex Silver-Line Corporation and Lucky Oil.
You may have also noticed the new signs around Dracut delineating the town’s nine business districts: Broadway Road, Bridge Street, Collinsville, Dracut Center, East Dracut, Hovey Square, Kenwood, Lakeview, and Navy Yard. Members of the Economic Development Committee developed the program to give each district its own identity and help encourage local commerce at businesses in all sections of town. On the back of each sign, there’s a code you can scan to get more information about the history of the specific district and the town’s sign program.
At the holidays, and all year long, Dracut is open for business!
— Brian Genest is the producer and host of Eye On Dracut, winner of the 2022 Hometown Media Award for news, which air on DATV Channel 8 and online at DracutTV.org. ◊