SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — With the holiday season coming to a close, Sheboygan wants to remind people that small businesses need support year-round.
To promote the cause, one group launched the Sheboygan Punchcard Challenge.
For every $25 or more you spend at a participating business, you get a stamp. A full card, or ten stamps, earns you a custom cutting board.
But the real goal is to keep the local economy running strong.
“We wanted to give folks the incentive to think about that over the holiday season,” said Caitlin Brotz, founder of Heart of the Hometown.
The movement, sponsoring the punchcard challenge, was born to boost small, local businesses after COVID.
“The businesses that were affected by COVID…we’re still here and we’re still able to offer services,” Brotz said.
She’s also the owner of Olivu 426, an all-natural skincare line brick-and-mortar on Sheboygan’s historic 8th Street.
“Everything you see here, we make fresh weekly, daily, and even hourly,” Brotz’ hand sweeping the length of her store. “We’ve been here almost 20 years now. It doesn’t seem that way, Mikenzie. Time flies!”
Watch: What you need to know to support small businesses in Sheboygan:
Brotz explained she started the punchcard initiative because Sheboygan business owners have been struggling, some telling her they’re just trying to make this last push through the holiday season.
“Not all the mom-and-pop stores can survive with all the big box stores that keep coming in,” said Matthew Riley, Brotz’ business neighbor a few doors down.
“Owning a small business is not as easy as everybody thinks. Everybody thinks, ‘I’ll come up with this idea and I’ll make a million dollars.’ It doesn’t work that way.”
He owns Freaktoys — a collector’s wonderland — selling everything from comic books to action figures to vintage video games and consoles.
It’s one of the many businesses participating in the Punchcard Challenge, which runs through Jan. 18.
“A lot of customers coming in and we punched a lot of cards… It’s great to get the small businesses all together in Sheboygan and help each other,” Riley smiled.
“You know, we could set up shop anywhere in the world, any of these businesses could. But Sheboygan’s a special place.”
“It’s such a quaint town,” Brtotz added. “You’re going to fall in love and come back again and again…we hope.”
For a full list of participating businesses, go to heartofthehometown.com.
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