McKenzie’s “Big Wins” keeping holiday spending local
MCKENZIE, Tenn — With the holiday shopping season already getting into full swing McKenzie is giving shoppers a reason to spend their money locally with their “Big Wins”. The concept is simple for every $20 spent at a local store, customers get a raffle ticket. Business owners said it is something that they are glad the city started. “It’s incentive. Everybody wants to win something. Everybody wants to win a prize,” Lulu Bell’s Florist & Gifts owner Stacie Browning told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News. “It has helped to have people, but just local versus driving off to find the same thing somewhere else.” Businesses owners say “Big Wins” shows them the city is committed to seeing McKenzie businesses succeed. “We’re always losing out to the big chain businesses, so it helps so much for the city to step in and give prizes to reward people for shopping local,” Browning said. “I think it promotes small business here in McKenzie and it brings a lot of people out to shop and we’re very glad that it’s something our city participates in,” The Wheezery owner Miranda Irvine. Businesses in the city of McKenzie who are part of the “Big Wins” will have a sign posted in their windows throughout the shopping season. Local officials said its a big win for both the entire city when these shopping dollars stay local. “We decided it would be a great way to encourage people to shop in town,” McKenzie Mayor Jill Holland said. “A lot of times people want to go Christmas shopping in the big city, and this is some incentive for them to stay in their hometown and shop and bring the business back to McKenzie.” There is an assortment of prizes for nine lucky winners. You do not have to be present to win. Only one winning ticket per household will be accepted. The drawing will at 4:30 p.m. December 5 in the gazebo in the town square before the Christmas parade.
