December 26, 2024
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It’s the season for believing in local businesses by playing the Yorkville Express interactive game

Shoppers can earn raffle tickets for prizes throughout December

By Joey Weslo
Shoppers can earn raffle tickets by visiting local businesses throughout December in the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce's seasonal interactive game, the Yorkville Express.

Shoppers can earn raffle tickets by visiting local businesses throughout December in the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce's seasonal interactive game, the Yorkville Express. (Provided by The Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce)

Capturing the spirit of supporting small-town businesses, Yorkville community shoppers can get their locomotive ticket punched in a fun, interactive game featuring raffle prizes.

To celebrate the season, the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Yorkville Express, a monthlong game where shoppers scan QR codes at participating businesses to earn chances to win raffle prizes. From Nov. 29 to Dec. 31, every three ticket punches from scanning the QR codes earns a raffle entry for the live prize drawing streaming on the Chamber’s Facebook page at 3 p.m.Jan. 2.

Players can register for the free game online and see the list of participating businesses and how they need to interact with those businesses to earn more punches on their Yorkville Express tickets.

Renee Kryger, president of the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce, said after the success of the Chamber’s “Summer Tour” road trip interactive game, members were excited to retool a new experience for holiday shoppers in the community.

“Supporting the consumers to shop local is a win for everybody,” Kryger said. “It’s a great way to support our businesses and it’s a fun way to have shoppers interact with owners when they enter the stores. It encourages shoppers to engage in conversations with the owners, learn more about each other, because the personal experience is something these business owners are really looking to get.”

The Chocolate Shoppe opened its new location at 12700 U.S. 34 in Plano. The new location allows them to make and sell chocolate, along with hose community events, all in one location.

One of the Yorkville Express participating businesses is The Chocolate Shoppe, owned by Andie Groff. It opened its new location at 12700 U.S. 34 in Plano. Shoppers and players of the game just need to scan the QR code in the business' front window. Groff also owns another participating business, Main Street Merchants in Plano. (Photo by Kevin Solari )

The raffle prizes will be announced throughout the event on the Chamber’s social media posts, Kryger said. She said she enjoyed seeing how many community members turned the contest into a fun family game during the summer.

“We have several businesses in the community that are mom-and-pop shops. They live, work and play in the area,” Kryger said. “We are trying to encourage the ability to walk into a store and really know who the owners and workers are, so customers can better appreciate that customized personal service that you just can’t get when shopping online.”

Andie Groff, owner of Main Street Merchants boutique in Plano, said events like these highlight the togetherness of small-town life and the community of people that all support one another.

“It ties everything together when you think of small-town life because everyone here is connected in so many different ways,” Groff said. “These small-business owners live in the community, work in the community and have children who go to school in the community. All the money shoppers spend to support us goes right back into the community. So, it’s not just about walking into a small business and scanning the code, it’s about supporting the community in so many different ways.”

Main Street Merchants, 218 Mitchell Drive, Plano, features an array of works from 23 local artisans, with things on display from arts and crafts, handmade jewelry and clothing, crafted home décor, artisan candles, and home-shopped woodworks. The boutique even sells locally made honey and goat’s milk soaps.

Owner Andie Groff celebrates a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her new collective boutique, Main Street Merchants, in Plano, with the Plano Area Chamber of Commerce and the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 1.

Owner Andie Groff celebrates a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her new collective boutique, Main Street Merchants in Plano, with the Plano Area Chamber of Commerce and the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 1. (Provided by the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce)

“When people walk into a small business where everything is crafted by another small business, another local person, it brings a special touch to it because you know it was created by someone in the community,” Groff said. “We sell a lot of crafts that can be bought as gifts for people, whether that be weddings or other celebrations, with items that have more of a personal touch. We’ve only been open for eight weeks and wanted to participate to help spread the word about our business and to help support all the other small businesses in the community.”

Shoppers only need to scan the QR code in the boutique to get their ticket punched, Groff said. The boutique is donating a gift basket of assorted artisanal items for the raffle.

Groff also owns The Chocolate Shoppe in Plano, 12700 U.S. Hwy 34, Plano. She said the shop will donate a raffle basket of freshly made chocolates. To get your ticket punched, shoppers just need to scan the QR code in the shop’s window.