Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 10, 1994 TAG: 9402100231
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Jim Patton and Kenny Epperly of New River Valley Racing Connection had sold more than 300 of the $1 tickets from which a winner will be drawn at 2 p.m. Monday on the Old Courthouse lawn.
Patton said they did it not only by offering them to the racing fans who come to their Main Street store but by taking the tickets on the road. He said he sold $100 worth at a bowling alley on a single night.
``We just went all over town, to local businesses that are not on Main Street, to places I frequent, to places Kenny frequents,'' Patton said. He has sold Sweetheart Shopping Spree tickets as far off as Pearisburg and Narrows, while Epperly has sold them in Roanoke, Salem and even Rocky Mount, N.C.
``They really have put us over the top,'' Anne Wallace, Promotions Committee chairwoman for the Pulaski Business Alliance, told other Alliance members at their meeting Tuesday at the Renaissance Restaurant. ``If it hadn't been for them, we'd have been in hock.''
The $300 will be given to the winner in the form of six $50 gift certificates, good at all participating downtown stores. The winner will not get change if he or she spends less than $50 at one business, and will be reimbursed by attaching the sales slip to the certificate and giving it to Wallace.
Wallace, who had sold more than 150 tickets at her and her husband's clothing store, said sales varied widely at different businesses. ``Some people have done real well and some people have not done anything. ... Didn't sell a one,'' she said.
Money earned from the project will go into promotions of downtown businesses.
The Alliance meets at the Renaissance at 8:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is scheduled for March 8.
Alliance Secretary Debbie Jonas suggested distributing minutes of meetings to business people who have expressed interest in helping with the promotional activities but whose jobs prevent them from attending the meetings regularly. Karen Graham suggested a newsletter three or four times a year on its activities.
The Alliance promotions to draw shoppers to Pulaski will be picking up in the months ahead.
Among the plans discussed Tuesday were the fifth annual Plastic Models Contest Feb. 26 at Graham's Somethin' Fishy pet shop on Main Street, a St. Patrick's Celebration with various activities March 19, a spring sidewalk sale in April, and an art and antique show, Pulaski Chamber of Commerce mixer and other activities during Memorial Day weekend in May.
by CNB