Lucky shoppers could get hotel stay, jewelry
Detroit Free Press, United States
BY EMILIA ASKARI
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Birmingham merchants plan to surprise downtown shoppers by handing out about $7,000 worth of Birmingham-centric gifts to random people on the sidewalk every Thursday evening from now until Christmas.
The promotion, called the Magic of Birmingham, starts tonight.
Each week, one shopper strolling down the street will be tapped on the shoulder and given a grand gift: either two nights at the Townsend Hotel or a piece of jewelry worth more than $1,000 from Astrein’s Creative Jewelers.
John Heiney, executive director of the city’s Principal Shopping District, said he’s never heard of another downtown or mall randomly grabbing shoppers in the street and giving away stuff.
Kathy Pfister, an administrative assistant at the city’s Baldwin Public Library, is hoping to snag that fancy piece of jewelry.
“I think it’s a great idea,” the 51-year-old Bloomfield Township resident said Wednesday. “We have a tough economy and if the merchants want to share with the patrons, we would be happy to accept their wares.”
The event is not a response to the sluggish local economy, Heiney said, adding that Thanksgiving weekend was “very good” for Birmingham merchants, though he said he had no sales figures available.
In the past year, he said, the vacancy rate in downtown Birmingham has dropped a percentage point or two to about 4% for retail and about 10% for office space. Heiney said the improvement may be due to lower rents on some properties, especially offices.
In recent months, merchants have donated about 1,800 items for the Magic promotion. The items will be handed out by four people experienced in marketing and promotions.
The gifts include mugs, coin purses, car-wash gift certificates and miniature picture frames.
Anyone who is on city sidewalks from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays will have an equal chance of getting a gift, Heiney said.
Contact EMILIA ASKARI at easkari@freepress.com.
