Courtesy of Sunnyside Shines
Aug. 4, 2010 By Christian Murray
With retailers facing tough economic conditions throughout Queens, Sunnyside Shines is launching a number of programs this month that aims to help local businesses and give consumers a greater bang for their buck.
Sunnyside Shines, a business improvement district that assists local retailers, is about to launch a program called “Bid Bucks”.
The initiative will provide consumers with an additional $5 (through a “Bid Buck”) to each purchase that is over $15. For example, if a man purchased a pair of jeans for $24.99, he would only have to pay $19.99 in cash and a $5 bid buck. The retailer would be reimbursed the $5 difference by cashing it in with Sunnyside Shines.
To date, more than 40 Sunnyside retailers have signed on to the program–which include restaurants, hair salons and clothing stores (see list).
The program will begin on August 14 and go through Nov. 1. “We chose this period since it includes back-to-school retailing, Labor Day and Halloween,” said James Bray, executive director at Sunnyside Shines.
“Our goal is to get residents to spend money in Sunnyside and to bring in people from outside of the neighborhood,” Bray said.
Sunnyside Shines aims to limit the number of Bid Bucks to 3 per household. They will be available at the annual “Summer Streets” festival that begins on August 7 (see below). In addition, residents will be able to get Bid Bucks by e-mailing Sunnyside Shines at info@sunnysideshines.org or calling James Bray at 718-606-1800.
The BID bucks program is just one of a series of initiatives the group is kicking off this month. Every Saturday, there will be a “Summer Streets” event under the Sunnyside Arch. The BID will clear the streets of traffic and make way for the following:
August 7: Sunnyside Drum Corps, Bix Beiderbecke Sunnyside Memorial Jazz Orchestra
August 14: Astrograss, acoustic music and bluegrass
August 21, Jawbone, A throwback rock n roll-rockabilly-brit invasion-r&b band that plays everything
August 28, The Jon Bates Band
