EMTF in the News

Board game aims to spurs sales in Eureka

Jasmine Huda

Date last updated: 4/29/2009 8:36:55 AM

First, it was Bingo. Now, a Monopoly-style game is helping spur sales at local businesses in Eureka.

By Jasmine Huda

KSDK -- First, it was Bingo. Now, a Monopoly-style game is helping spur sales at local businesses in Eureka.

In "Discover Eureka," patrons visit local participating businesses. Those who take part in the game will have their names entered into a drawing for "Eureka" bucks, the equivalent of a gift certificate. Approximately 110 businesses are taking part in "Discover Eureka."

Leland Kropp of the Eureka Merchants Task Force said the effort is aimed to drive up business at a time when many businesses are struggling due to the recession.

"What we're trying to do is first off, before they go to the internet or they go to the big box stores, they think, 'I'm spending my money. I'm going to help the business and help my communities stay afloat," Kropp said.

A Bingo-themed game was launched last month in Eureka. Students throughout the area would visit stores to get their Bingo card stamped. The more stores they visited, the higher their chances were at winning a drawing for a scholarship, ranging from $500 to $1,500.

"Yeah, I've been liking it a lot. It's been an adventure. I mean, I'd been to places I had never even seen before, " Drew Corner, 9, said.

Approximately 4,000 Bingo cards were distributed to students. Kropp said the game concept is catching on.

"The first time we actually sold the whole card in almost two days. There were 49 businesses. The biggest complaint was that everyone wasn't included. This time, we have more than 109 spots, and it's gone real quick," he said.

Shoppers say they understand the pains local businesses are feeling.

"A lot of people are struggling. You see a lot of self-employed business owners that are having to shut down. People are trying to take their money and stretch it as far as they can," Sara Nottingham said.

KSDK

BINGO Stimulus in Eureka?

Mike Garrity

Date last updated: 3/24/2009 9:06:58 AM

A group of small business owners in Eureka is hoping a game of BINGO will pay off in sales.

KSDK -- A group of small business owners in Eureka is hoping a game of BINGO will pay off in sales.

More than 4,000 BINGO cards are being distributed this week to students at schools throughout the Eureka area from the high school all the way down to the pre-school level.

Forty-nine small businesses in Eureka decided to fund and send out the cards. Each one has a BINGO grid on it with a number for each business involved.

The aim: to have students, and hopefully their families, visit as many of the businesses as possible to get their cards stamped. They don't have to buy anything, but for each "BINGO", or seven numbers in a row, they get stamped, they get an entry into a scholarship contest.

Being offered up are three prizes, one for $1,500, another for a $1,000, and a third for $500.

The money can be used for tuition to any school.

The man who dreamed up this BINGO/economic stimulus game says a lack of foot traffic at local businesses recently has caused some local small businesses to close.

Leland Kropp, Jr., the owner of a Eureka home theatre business called Theatrical Concepts, says even though he dreamed up the idea - he hopes it will catch on.

He welcomes businesses in any local community to borrow the idea and try it out in their town.

The bingo contest in Eureka runs now through May 15th.

Kropp can be reached at his business for more information: (636) 938-7666.

KSDK

Last modified: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 2:43 PM CDT

Rick Graefe / Journal

Arlene Wells of Eureka leaves the Wool Gathering store on South Central Avenue after buying some yarn.

By Mary Shapiro

On a recent Friday afternoon on South Central Avenue in the Old Towne shopping area in Eureka, customers were quick to praise the businesses there.

Mary Eagan and her mom, Maureen Horst, had driven in from their Union home to shop at a fabric store.
"It's faster getting in and out of the little shops," Eagan said.

The Wool Gathering folk arts craft store at 141 S. Central offers rug hooking, knitting, felting and other craft lessons. It also sells antiques, specialty yarns, commercial and hand-dyed woolens, patterns and finished products. Terry Biglin was among those taking a knitting class there.
"I love the small-town atmosphere," said Biglin, who lives near Pacific.

Betty Waldrop, of St. Louis city, said she originally started coming to Eureka to shop at the Susie-Q Quilting shop on South Central and found Wool Gathering.
Small stores "have unique things you can't find in the big ones," she said.

Arlene Wells of Eureka said with small-town shopping, customers get better, more personal service. Lisa Dieckhaus of Eureka, agreed. It's more convenient to shop in Eureka, and "some people don't know what's down here," Dieckhaus said.

That's why some stimulus programs, in the form of games, are under way - or soon will be - via the Eureka Merchants Task Force. The group of small business was formed less than a year ago by Leland S. Kropp Jr., former president of the Eureka Chamber of Commerce and president of the Theatrical Concepts firm.
Kropp said it was his idea for the games. Eureka business have been worried about getting more shoppers, he said."If you sit and wait for something to happen, it never will," he said.

Kropp said the first game, "Find It Here First - Eureka," started March 15 and will run to May 15. It features a bingo card being given to about 6,000 children in schools citywide. Children visit local 49 small businesses listed on the back of the card, and get their card stamped, with no purchase necessary, he said. Each business contributed $85 to be on the bingo cards. For each line of squares, or total coverage of squares, kids get various numbers of entries to win one of three scholarships, for $500, $1,000 or $1,500. Winners will be announced May 23. When they've finished visiting businesses listed, they can drop cards off at Theatrical Concepts, 98 Legends Parkway, to be entered.

All money collected via shopping generated by the game, outside of expenses, goes back to prize money or for scholarships, Kropp said.

A new game, for adults ages 18 and older, will start June 1 and is called "Discover Eureka." About 108 businesses will be taking part. Some businesses wanted a game to draw more adults, Kropp said.
The new game is based on the famous Monopoly board game, with a similar type of board. About 10,000 boards will be given out on which residents, when they visit businesses, can get the matching business site on the board stamped. No purchase is necessary. Each business contributes $85. Visits to various rows or corners or total coverage of businesses will allow shoppers to win various amounts of "Eureka Bucks," which are issued in $10 denominations and can only be spent in Eureka, at the same small businesses they visited.
About $3,000 in total Eureka Bucks will be given out, but amounts given may vary based on final participation levels, Kropp said.

In total, more than $6,000 in Eureka Bucks will be given away to buy products and services from participating businesses, Kropp said.

"Our hope is that we can get our citizens to think locally and not globally," he said. Hopes are fraud will be avoided through use of specially watermarked paper for the "Eureka Bucks." All cards must be turned in by Aug. 15 to Theatrical Concepts.

Businesses have been enthusiastic. Amy Ruck, owner of Wool Gathering, said the bingo cards already have brought a lot of kids in. "With Discover Eureka, I think more shoppers' money will stay in Eureka," she said.

Kelly Kilbreath, an owner of Country Doggie Spa and Grooming, 113 D Hilltop Village Center, already has gotten a couple of clients from the cards. "It's important for us to network," she said. "Firms like ours offer unique products and services you can't get elsewhere."

Molly Dooley, co-owner and general manager at D. Dooley's 025 Steak Co., 106 S. Central, said she's given lots of menus to visiting children with cards to take home to parents. This program has made people aware of what's in town, she said. Dooley is optimistic about Discover Eureka "because it's geared to adults, and they're the ones spending money.

Laurie McBride, owner of About the Details Floral and Photography store, 111 N. Central Ave., said she had prom corsage orders based on some of the kids who came in. "Someone getting the opportunity to win something just by coming in a store - how can that be a bad thing?" McBride said.
She said just a few people making a purchase are enough to pay for her participation.

Eureka Alderman Marilyn Leistner said she used the bingo card for fun to tour city businesses participating. "I've had fun, and this puts me in touch with the 49 firms on the card," she said. "The big issue is helping kids with scholarship money."

Mayor Kevin Coffey said it's important for shoppers' dollars to stay in the city. Sales taxes such as the half-cent capital improvements sales tax, the half-cent park and storm-water sales tax and a one-cent city sales tax provide city services, he said. Spending dollars in Eureka "adds up to a new bridge or a playground or park program or funds a street repaving," he said. "It can make a difference if shoppers don't leave town."
Call (636) 938-7666 to get a bingo card or, after June 1, a Discover Eureka board.