GALION — The Second Saturday Shop Hop in Historic Uptowne Galion will have a back-to-school twist on it when it takes place Saturday, Aug. 8 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.
Miranda Jones, executive director of the Galion-Crestline Chamber of Commerce, is excited for the third shop hop this summer, noting the events have been well received so far this season.
“This will be a tax-free weekend in Ohio, so I know Flourish, This That and the Other and the Main Street Team Shop plan to be open, and offer clothing and some Galion team apparel,” Jones said. “We’re going to do a scavenger hunt like we’ve done in the past, but we’re asking different businesses to put pictures in their storefronts of different back-to-school supplies. Like last month was Christmas in July, this month is back-to-school.”
Jones explained business will be hiding different pictures in their stores and they are asking people to move around Galion and find the pictures of the back-to-school supplies. When they complete their scavenger hunt list, they can bring it to the Chamber of Commerce tent and they will get a $5 gift card to DK’s.
“And we’ll still have our painted rocks,” she said. “We’ll have 10 of those again and place those throughout town, usually pretty visible on the sidewalks.” Jones noted that when people find the rocks they can bring them to the chamber tent for a small prize.
“People are really enjoying (the shop hops),” Jones explained. “We just did one (last Thursday night) in Crestline, as well. It’s exciting to see people of all ages moving around business districts and really becoming familiar with what the towns have to offer. That’s kind of the point. They realize they don’t have to drive to one of those big box stores. They can stay here and shop local.
“It’s more important now to shop local and support our small businesses that it ever has been,” Jones said. “These stores, a lot of them owner-operated and this is their only source of income. If we don’t support them through this pandemic we’re going to see a lot of doors closing because people just can’t do it. So we need to make sure our downtown areas are supported and they’re able to sustain business throughout this pandemic.”
“It’s just nice to see people moving around, being able to do things in the downtown area and social distance at the same time,” she added.
Jones also pointed out the Census Mobile Unit will be on hand on Saturday for those who have not completed the 2020 Census yet, explaining they will have a hot spot tablet and when people complete the Census they will also get a gift card to DK’s.
Also new this month, Jones said, is that the Galion Area Band plans to perform at the gazebo around 11 a.m.
