The 2014 Loyalty Card is here!

The LOVE GENEVA loyalty card  — putting your money where your heart is!

We are proud to announce our newest project: the 2014 LOVE GENEVA loyalty card. Co-sponsored by the UG Collective, the loyalty card provides the cardholder with great rewards from participating local businesses. The LOVE GENEVA loyalty card is available for $10.00 at Finger Lakes Gifts & Lounge, Stomping Grounds, Earthly Possessions, and Burrall Insurance. All profits from the sale of the card will go to the Foundation for Geneva Public Library, which provides financial support for the Library. A list of participating businesses and their current loyalty rewards is provided under the “2014 Loyalty Card” link on the left.

USING THE CARD:

The card can be used at participating Geneva businesses. The holder of the card is entitled to whatever benefits the business establishes as their “loyalty reward.” This could entail things such as a 10% discount, a free dessert with meal, half price on selected items – whatever the business wants to establish. The business may change the “loyalty reward” on a monthly or seasonal basis.

WHY A CARD?:

Shop Local campaigns across the country have had great success with loyalty cards. Research indicates that shopping local increases when shoppers are incentivized to do so.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

All profits made from the sale of loyalty cards will be going to the Foundation for Geneva Public Library, which provides financial support for the Library.

ARE YOU AN INTERESTED BUSINESS?

Our volunteers have tried to contact all the locally-owned businesses in Geneva, but may have missed you. If you are interested in participating, please contact us at LoveGenevaNY@gmail.com. Thanks!

Participating businesses so far:

Amazing Grace: $10 off a $60+ Tattoo, $5 off of $45+ piercing and $5 off a $30+ jewelry purchase.

Area Records and Music: $1 off all new Compact Disc and Record Vinyl; 5% off all new Guitar purchases; Buy 2 sets of guitar strings get a 3rd of equal or lesser value for 50% off.

Blink Permanent Cosmetics:  $10 off $100 worth of product; $50 off permanent make-up service

Cams: 5% off orders over $15

Creators Touch Barber: $2.00 off a hair cut

Earthly Possessions:  10% off $20 or more

FA Church Hardware:  10% off purchases

Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge: 10% off food and beverages

Geneva Bicycle Center: 10% of service (excludes parts)

Geneva Tailor: 15% off any alterations

Joe’s Hots: 10% off orders

Lake City Hobby: 10% off purchases over $25

Main Moon: Free soda with each lunch special

Marks Pizzeria: Buy a large 2 topping pizza and get a free medium cheese pizza

Microclimate: Free Beverage with purchase of flight

Parker’s: Free soft drink with any meal purchase

Pure Grille & Curry: 15% off total bill, up to $25

Stomping Grounds: 10% off storewide

[please note that discounts may vary by month/season; we will do our best to keep the list updated]

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December CASH MOB = Closet-to-Closet on Saturday, Dec. 21st

The Christmas consumption pressure is in full swing. Need to be frugal? Would you rather buy something slightly used instead of something made overseas from cheap plastic? Want to support a local business instead of big box store? Well, we have a Holiday CASH MOB just for you! The December CASH MOB will be held this Saturday at CLOSET-TO-CLOSET, Geneva’s quality consignment shop featuring clothes, furniture, accessories and a whole lot more!

Where: Closet-Closet, 29 E. North Street

When: Saturday, December 21st;  11 am – 1 pm

So come on out this Saturday for some last minute gift shopping. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the wide range of gift possibilities available. You’ll be shopping local while also shopping green (reuse-recycle!). It’s a win-win situation!

What is a CASH MOB? When a group of people assemble at a local business and buy items to support that business and the overall community.

Things to be thankful for…

It’s Thanksgiving, a time to reflect on the bounty of one’s blessings. For LOVE GENEVA, the blessings have been bountiful indeed. What started as a small idea has blossomed into something like a movement. And there are bigger things on the horizon in 2014. But for now, here are three things we are thankful for:

– Genevans. Yes, the lake is very pretty. VERY pretty. But what we love about Geneva most of all are the people that call it home. There are multiple communities within this city, reflecting a diversity that is rich and enriching. We’ve got our problems, but we’ve also got a depth of spirit that is astounding. Above all else, this city is real because the people who live here are real.

– Locally-owned businesses. Just as Geneva’s former economic success was built upon locally-owned businesses, so too will its future growth. In the past ten years, Geneva’s renaissance has been astounding to witness. It seemed slow to pick up steam, but boy is it going now! What has been driving that growth are locally-owned businesses and the locals who support them. So as you start gearing up for your holiday shopping, remember to start and end with locally-owned businesses in Geneva. Pretty much everything you need can be found right here — and without the added expenses of shipping fees.

– Local artists. This community has some impressive creative talent. Just wander around town during a Geneva Night Out, or drop into one of the regular Speakeasy Society’s gatherings, or pop over to Beef & Brew to hear whoever is playing piano, or check out the fine work being performed by the Geneva Theater Guild, or visit the Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union’s lobby for their regular local artist, or stomp into Stomping Grounds for their weekly photo contest, or simply check out the amazing music/art/poetry/drama that is being produced within the Geneva school system. Geneva has long had a rich tradition of creative cultural production and it is going strong today. There are so many groups and individuals involved in Geneva’s cultural life, it is hard to single anyone out. BUT, it is definitely worth your time to check out the new fundraising campaign for the UG Collective. They are doing so much for the community, especially in terms of youth programs, that your support is deeply appreciated.

LOVE GENEVA has always believed that sustainable development for all sectors of Geneva requires the combination of these three elements: locally-owned businesses, local artists, and engaged Genevans. We can feel it happening, and we’re grateful to be part of such a wonderful community.

November Cash Mob at PEDULLA’S

This month’s LOVE GENEVA cash mob will be held at Pedulla’s Liquor Store this Saturday Nov.16th  from 11 am – 1 pm.

Located in the Plaza on Hamilton Street, Pedulla’s Liquor Store has been locally-owned and operated for over fifty years (some may remember when it was located downtown on Seneca Street!). With the holidays coming fast upon us, this is a fine opportunity to stock up on your party supplies, or pick up a nice bottle of Finger Lakes wine as a gift for a host, friend of family member. With a wide selection of regionally-made wines and spirits, Pedulla’s is an excellent place to spread some local love. So come on down this Saturday to spend a few dollars — dollars that will circulate in the local economy and help Geneva continue to grow!

Where: PEDULLA’S LIQUOR STORE

When: Saturday, November 16th;  11 am – 1 pm

What is a CASH MOB? When a group of people assemble at a local business and buy items to support that business and the overall community.

Cash Mob at Super Casuals!

We are excited to announce the return of the LOVE GENEVA cash mob. The cash mob for October will be held at SUPER CASUALS this Saturday from 11 am – 1 pm.

Located at 52 Seneca Street, SUPER CASUALS has been a downtown anchor for decades. One of the last places in downtown to buy clothing, SUPER CASUALS carries a wide range of work clothes, shoes (include Geneva-made VERE SANDALS), and winter apparel. So come down to get anything from a new winter jacket to some wool socks. Just come on down and help spread some love!

Where: SUPER CASUALS; 52 Seneca Street

When: Saturday, October 12 th;  11 am – 1 pm

What is a CASH MOB? When a group of people assemble at a local business and buy items to support that business and the overall community.

Staying busy

It has been a few weeks since our last post, but we have been staying busy. The summer months were our theme months of eating/drinking/playing local. We helped sponsor the library-local business initiative. And the first friday of every month is, of course, Geneva Night Out, which seems to get better and better each month. Last night’s was certainly a lot of fun. By our estimates, we’ve given away over a thousand LOVE GENEVA stickers over the last year. They are still available around town, and Stomping Grounds and the Finger Lakes Gifts and Lounge are also carrying LOVE GENEVA t-shirts and tote bags. And the Geneva Bicycle Center has special LOVE GENEVA: BIKE LOCAL stickers.

Most of our regular updates occur via our Facebook page, so check that out and ‘like’ us in order to get our regular updates. But we did want you to know that we’ve got a few things in the work, not the least of which is the return of the CASH MOB! So check back soon — or keep an eye on Facebook — to find out when and where we’ll be cash mobbing next.

As always, thanks for your continued support for LOVE GENEVA and the artists, musicians, and business owners of this little city of ours!

Love Geneva and the Library-Local Business Partnership

The Library is partnering with the Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce, the Geneva Business Improvement District, and LOVE GENEVA for a special incentive program during September, in honor of National Library Card Sign-up Month. We invite any and all local businesses to help make the library card the most valued and used card in every wallet! Over 11,000 Genevans already have a library card, and we want them to shop local as well as read local!

Here’s how it works: when library patrons visit a participating business they will present their library card or keytag when they make a purchase. At that time, they will receive something from the business. The “free something” is whatever each business decides to give away, either dollars (or a percentage) off a purchase or a specific item. Offers will be valid from September 1 – 30, 2013, and the promotion is FREE, except what each business gives away or discounts to library cardholders.

Library Card Sign-up Month is a great opportunity for local businesses to market their goods and services to OWWL library cardholders, and the library does all the advertising! During the month of September, we will give out flyers listing participating businesses to everyone who checks out materials at the library. We will also send press releases to local news sources to notify residents of the promotion and include participating businesses on the library’s website, Facebook page, and various community events throughout September. Business participation also helps the Geneva Public Library encourage library card registration.

If you own a business in Geneva and are interested in participating in Library Card Sign-up Month, or if you have any questions, please call Kelsy Hibbard-Baker or Trisha Kemp at 315-789-5303 or email Kelsy at khibbardbaker@pls-net.org. Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/LCSUMRegistration. Or, if you prefer, we would be happy to visit your business to talk with you and deliver a hard copy of the registration form. The deadline to register is Friday, August 23, 2013.

June is Drink Local month!

Rounding out our trilogy of theme months, we’re pleased to announce that June will be ‘Drink Local’ month!

The Finger Lakes region is blessed with a large number of high quality wineries, and Geneva is home to many of these locally-owned industries. Not only does the local wine industry produce excellent wines, it is also an important element for tourism to the region. But Geneva doesn’t just produce wine, we also have the some of the best juice manufacturers in the country (in our humble opinion) with Red Jacket Orchards and CherryPharm. Plus, we have over two dozen locally-owned taverns, tea- and coffee-houses, each of which is a valuable member of our community. So during the month of June, make sure you support the local economy by drinking local.

Whether it is where you drink or what you drink, keep on Loving Geneva!

MAY is PLAY LOCAL month!

Spring has finally arrived, and it is time to get out there and play. So, we’re launching another month-long campaign.

This time, we’re declaring May the PLAY LOCAL month! We’ll soon be hanging posters around town with the list of locally-owened sports and health-themed businesses. The “April is Eat Local month” campaign was a great hit, so we’re hoping this month’s campaign will be even better. The poster is below. Please help spread the word — and keep shopping local! It makes a world of difference!

April is EAT LOCAL Month!

One of Geneva’s greatest attributes is the high number of quality independent, locally-owned restaurants located here. During our LOVE GENEVA campaign, we have struggled to find a way to best incorporate them into our cash mob campaigns. The reality is that cash mobs don’t work well for restaurants — if a large crowd shows up, those who have to wait for tables inevitably get frustrated and the whole event becomes counter-productive.

But independent, locally-owned restaurants are one of the backbones of our local economy. They provide valuable direct employment to many people, they are an important source of tax revenue, they draw outsiders to our community — who then shop in other Geneva stores, and they often support local and regional farmers, as well as other locally-owned businesses (from accountants and lawyers to carpenters and electricians). And they give back to the community in numerous ways — including donating food to the needy and supporting various fundraisers for community projects.

So we’ve decided to declare April EAT LOCAL month, complete with a poster campaign. Please patronize independent, locally-owned restaurants as often as possible during April. Encourage your friends and co-workers to dine local. Many of you probably already patronize your favorite local restaurant, but consider expanding your horizons and dine at a locally-owned establishment on the list that you have never tried before!

* We are making an important distinction between locally-owned independent restaurants and larger regional or national chains that might be locally franchised. While we appreciate the value of national/regional franchises, evidence shows that locally-owned independent establishments provide greater resources and direct support for local economies. We’ve tried to be exhaustive in our list of locally-owned independent restaurants, but we may have accidentally excluded some. If that is the case, we apologize and would like to know of our mistake so that we can correct it in future campaigns. As always, thank you for your support!