Buy-In Clear Lake program pushes $25,800 into Clear Lake economy

by Marianne Gasaway

It’s been said that there is a creative solution to every problem.  Nowhere is that more true than in our own town.

Within hours of the coronavirus crisis spreading nationwide, the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce was already thinking about the impact it would have on local business.  

Chamber President and CEO Stacy Doughan said she had been thinking about how to make it possible for businesses to sell discounted gift cards as a possible means of providing businesses with an influx of cash while they might be closed.

At the same time, Chamber member Austin Pehl, of Atura Architecture, reached out with the idea of doing a gift card giveaway to inject some positivity into the current situation. 

Doughan had reservations about her plan, which would have invested the Chamber’s money into the promotion as a way to discount cards.  Pehl’s plan offered another option.   He had the idea of asking other businesses to step up and fund the discount and make more gift cards available. 

“I reached out to the Chamber Board of Directors and immediately had five additional businesses step forward,” said Doughan.  “On Wednesday, March 17, we made 220 $30 gift cards available for $20. The cards sold out in 60 minutes.”

From there, the initiative snowballed. 

On Thursday, March 18, 640 cards sold out in 12 minutes.

Thirty-one sponsors funded the $10 gaps for a total of 860 cards. 

As of March 30, the Chamber had 31 sponsors for the “Buy-In Clear Lake” promotion and gift cards were purchased from 61 Clear Lake businesses.

  “Everyone chipping in a little made a huge difference,” said Doughan. “As a result, $25,800 will be distributed to area businesses next week.”

Ge-Jo’s by the Lake owner Jacki Kelley said she feels fortunate to love and work in such a tight knit community.

  GeJo’s is incredibly grateful to our Chamber members whose innovative thinking brought about community spirit and support, as well as some much needed immediate cash flow directly in to our local businesses,” said Kelley.

Doughan says the Chamber has more businesses and individuals willing to sponsor cards, so another round of online gift cards is a possibility.  

Here’s how  the Buy-In Clear Lake program works:

•The Chamber has an online store to collect gift card purchases.  The buyer simply needs to note what business they would like a gift card from at checkout. 

•The Chamber then contacts businesses regarding how many $30 gift cards were purchased, issues checks to those businesses, and retrieves the gift cards.

•Buyers can retrieve their gift cards curbside at the Chamber. Cards not picked up will be mailed. If further restrictions are put in place, all cards will be mailed.