BETHLEHEM, PA - Still under a stay at home order and in the red phase for at least another week, parts of the Lehigh Valley are looking for ways to drum up business.
"Small business Saturday is a nationally known day, it’s the day after Black Friday, it’s a really big nationwide push to support our local businesses," explains Executive Vice President of Affiliated Chambers for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, "Obviously during the current climate, current challenges that our businesses are dealing with we thought why wait ‘til Thanksgiving, Black Friday? Let’s do anything we can to support our small businesses."
This weekend, over 40 local businesses across Lehigh and Northampton Counties are encouraging customers to shop local and virtual for Virtual Small Business Saturday. Store and restaurant owners are offering coupons, bundles and discounts for customers who participate in their effort to keep local business strong during the ongoing pandemic. The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, the event organizer, says it's one way they're hoping to encourage new and returning customers to shop small and local in the Lehigh Valley.
"Since everything right now is like curbside or whatever it is, we can’t really shop, let’s do it virtual," says O'Donnell, "A lot of our businesses do have those options where they are on Facebook and doing a video saying, hey, if you want to order this let us know and they’re showing their product. We’re noticing at the Chamber, people at home -- more people are on social media so this is a great way that we have this captured audience -- to say support your local businesses, they have all these deals online."
From hair care to fitness and pottery to wineries, the deals are being offered across Bethlehem, Allentown, Easton and beyond. Places like Alan Sylvestre Media are offering $100 off graduation photo-shoots and Green Earth Marketplace is offering 10% off online purchases with coupon code, “SBS10.” Jessica O’Donnell says, business owners are eager to participate.
"It’s not just restaurants, it’s retailers, service industries--whatever it is, if they can offer a deal, let us know," O'Donnell tells PBS39, "And we’re seeing things like BOGO deals; buy one, get one half off. If you spend $50, maybe you get $10 off, maybe it’s a gift card promotion. So it’s been really great to see how creative our businesses have been to really just say hey, we’re here, this is what we’re offering, thank you so much for supporting us."
Businesses do not have to be Chamber members to participate and there is no fee to be involved and customers are encouraged to use #ShopSmallLV and #ShopVirtual to connect on social media; for a full list of participating vendors, visit the Chamber's website here.