Shop/Dine Richardson: supporting the local economy

Thanks to strategic economic development efforts, the City of Richardson’s shopping and dining options are booming – benefiting residents and area employees alike.
 
Today, as a result, Richardson features a growing array of shops with a wide assortment of offerings, as well as more than 200 incredibly varied restaurants. In fact, Richardson may have the most ethnically diverse dining options of any community in North Texas.
 
As a community, we want to do all we can to support local businesses. That’s why the Richardson Chamber of Commerce created the Shop/Dine Richardson program as a means of connecting the community to the quality products, services, and dining experiences available from Chamber businesses.
 
For participating businesses, it provides an affordable way to market themselves to a targeted audience of e-mail subscribers. Placing an ad targeted at consumers is free for Chamber members, though a bit more if ad design assistance is needed.
 
It’s a boon to e-mail subscribers, too, providing them with a way to discover neighborhood-oriented offerings, all while supporting the local economy. The Chamber sends an e-mail to subscribers every Friday containing ads from selected businesses, as well as coupons or special offers.
 
Of course, a thriving retail and restaurant scene is critical to supporting the municipal tax base, as sales taxes help fund vital city services. Additionally, studies have shown that 43 percent of dollars spent in small, local businesses stay in the local community, versus 14 percent at chain stores – although both types of stores show up in the email program, and all still benefit the local economy.
 
Whether you need a place to shop and eat before you take in a show at the Eisemann Center, or are looking for new daily dining options at lunch to shake up your routine, Shop/Dine Richardson is a great way to support Richardson’s bold entrepreneurs.
 
We encourage you to sign up today at www.richardsonchamber.com/shop!
 
Ken Hutchenrider is president of Methodist Richardson Medical Center and chairman of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “From the Boardroom” is a recurring guest column featuring viewpoints from Richardson business and civic leaders, produced in cooperation with the Chamber.