December 19, 2024

Shopping Event Draws Crowds, Supports Schools

In September, the Downers Grove [IL] Downtown Management Corp. hosted its annual women’s shopping event. Like similar events, the goal is a fun-filled shopping experience especially for women.

But, as Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter reports, it’s also a fund raiser for local Parent Teacher Associations.

Downtown shops and restaurants offer special giveaways, discounts, and demonstrations for the one-day event. When a purchase is made, participants hand in a "hall pass." The passes are available from participating schools and the downtown organization’s website. Each pass includes the name of a participating school. Schools receive 10 percent of the day’s hall pass sales for their institution.

The school with the most hall passes used receives an extra $250 donation. The second and third place schools each receive a $100 downtown gift certificate.

Artwork for promotional fliers and hall passes is provided to the schools to promote the event.

More creative shopping events appear in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.

Click below to learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and other resources for revitalizing downtowns and commercial corridors.

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Recommended Reading

Streets Reconsidered: Inclusive Design
for the Public Realm

Streets Reconsidered provides a roadmap to redesigning city streets for modern living — Streets that accommodate people of all ages and abilities, using all travel modes, and promoting healthy urban living, social interaction, enhanced commerce, and environmental sensitivity.

The book is divided into six main sections each reflecting one of these important roles for today’s streets. Each section includes:

• An introduction to the core concepts and benefits of each type of street.
• Case studies showing the concepts in use. The cases are fully illustrated and include photos, plans, and schematics that demonstrate how the street works.
• Best practices. Based on the case studies and the authors’ work, the best practices section describes and illustrates important techniques and lessons learned.

Streets Reconsidered offers an inspiring and actionable view of all that streets can be in any community.

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Streets Reconsidered is just one of the many books on Good Design available from the Downtown Development Center.