Garner Chamber of Commerce raffling $10K worth of gift cards to local small businesses

GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Garner Chamber of Commerce received about $10,000 thanks to local sponsors, including Amazon, and is infusing the money directly onto Main Street to help stimulate the economy.

Area residents can benefit and score a free gift card.

Chamber members have been going around to small businesses purchasing a bunch of gift cards for the Great Garner Giveaway. The items will soon be raffled to the public.

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"I think it's awesome," said Plant Slant Juice owner Michael Amick.

Plant Slant Juice is one spot being highlighted.

It opened less than a year ago and Amick set out to offer healthy options.

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"The next thing you know, the pandemic came out, and they were closing stuff down, but I just felt (that) we're going to fight through it," he said.

Hudson's Hardware, which has been around for more than 60 years, is another store being showcased.

A fourth-generation family member is helping to keep the doors open and is appreciative of the new initiative.

"It really goes to show you how the community can come together, especially in times like we've been going through this past year," said Hudson's Hardware Manager Stone Gullay.

The chamber is hoping stores will see more sales on the back end.

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The nonprofit is also getting several gift cards in small denominations for a reason.

"If we can encourage people to spend double than what the gift card is, we get them into the businesses," said Garner Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Matthew Coppedge.

Business owners hope to keep the momentum going.

"We don't want a great month, a great day, a great week. We want to thrive long-term. That's our goal," Amick said.

The gift-card giveaway begins Friday and will continue for the next 30 days.

Multiple gift cards will be given out each day.

To be entered to win, all people have to do is comment each day on the Chamber's post about the giveaway on Facebook, and there will be random winners selected from the comments.