COLORADO SPRINGS — Several small businesses have been closed since a fire broke out at the historic Majestic Building on East Bijou Monday. The Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership is encouraging the public to purchase gift cards from the retailers as a means of helping them through the closure.
Smoke from the fire seeped into the fabric of all the clothes at The Local Honey Collective.
"Almost all of our inventory was damaged by the smoke," said co-owner Hailey Sardi. "We don't really have anything that we can sell right now."
Smoke damage also ruined the inventory at fashion retailer Yobel next door. Many paintings displayed by the Look Up Gallery inside of the Yobel space also suffered smoke damage.
The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the busiest of the year for small businesses. The partnership estimates upto one third of a shop's annual sales happen during the holidays.
Sardi and her business partner Cara McQueeny said one of the hardest parts of this closure is time away from their customers.
"It's truly our favorite time to be open," McQueeney said. "It's so fun, fun to be in the shop, listening to Christmas music, holiday music, helping you guys shop for loved ones and things like that."
The Downtown Partnership is calling the promotion a Gift Card Cash Mob. Marketing and Communications Director Carrie Simison explained the idea is like buying time. Shoppers can still spend their gift cards when the shops reopen. In the meantime, the shop owners get an influx of cash.
"Obviously, they both have insurance but while they're waiting for that, there's still things happening and they're not able to bring money in."
The Downtown Development Authority will make a matching contribution to the businesses for every gift card sold valued between $50 and $2,500.
You can still purchase those gift cards by visiting the Downtown Partnership's Website.
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