Turkey, family and shopping. These are three traditions associated with the Thanksgiving holiday, especially the shopping season which extends four more weeks. While shoppers will take advantage visiting the major retailers for their Black Friday (or before) sales either in Churchill County or Reno, the Fallon Chamber of Commerce and the Churchill Entrepreneurial Development Association are encouraging residents to stay in Fallon and patronize the small businesses. In a few days will be Small Business Saturday, described as an American shopping holiday held two days after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. The Fallon Chamber and CEDA are hosting this campaign with an added Fallon twist. Lucy Carnahan, the Fallon Chamber’s executive director, said both agencies are hosting a welcome booth at the Old Post Office at 90 N. Maine St. beginning at 8 a.m. “Come get your coffee and game pieces to play the games set up around town as you do your shopping,” she said, adding the goodies will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Hashtags for the day will include #ChamberAtWork, #SupportFallonBiz, #ShopSmall, #GurkaInBiz, and #CEDAcares.
“We are not doing the scavenger hunt this year but trying something different with business bingo,” Carnahan said. “Participants will get a random bingo card in their shopping bags. They will decide on where there are going to shop and participate. When they spend $5 in each business or at one of the vendors at the welcome booth, they will get that bingo square marked off. When they get a bingo they will turn their bingo sheets into His Inspirations, 200 S. Maine St.” CEDA’s Director of Operations Sara Beebe echoed Carnahan’s information. “Come and get your small bag with Telegraph-donated coffee, a list of ads, game pieces and bingo card,” she said. Beebe said the Fallon Chamber and CEDA encourage shoppers to visit the businesses and make a purchase there. “Take a photo of the Greenwave Gurka and post the Gurka on Facebook with a hashtag,” Beebe said. “We’re hoping for another busy year of shopping.” Beebe said a few businesses have been added for this year, but some businesses have closed since the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend. Carnahan signed up about two dozen merchants for Small Business Saturday, which is an important day for local retailers. She encourages shoppers to watch for the participating businesses on the Fallon Chamber’s social media. “Our local merchants are still working on the comeback from the pandemic,” she said. “Many are still struggling to keep their doors open.”
