Shanon Davis, executive director of the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, shows off a stamp card used in the Chamber’s Soldotna Strong Shop Local campaign on July 22, 2020. The City of Kenai is considering launching its own shop local program. (Photo courtesy Shanon Davis)

Shanon Davis, executive director of the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, shows off a stamp card used in the Chamber’s Soldotna Strong Shop Local campaign on July 22, 2020. The City of Kenai is considering launching its own shop local program. (Photo courtesy Shanon Davis)

Kenai to consider shop local program

The program would run from Feb. 1 to Mar. 1 of 2021

The Kenai City Council will consider a program to incentivize shopping local at their Jan. 6 meeting as a way to provide economic support to Kenai businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program, which would run from Feb. 1 to March 1 of 2021, would be similar to the Soldotna’s popular “Holding Our Own Shop Local” program, which ran from November to December of 2020 and saw more than $280,000 given out in the form of vouchers.

The program, if approved, would be called the “Shop Here All Year in Kenai.” Similar to Soldotna, the program would give $100 in coupons to people who spend $200 in Kenai businesses to be used at those businesses. The vouchers would be issued on a first-come first-served basis and would have to be spent by March 30, 2021.

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As with Soldotna’s program, shoppers will be able to submit up to 10 receipts totaling at least $200 in discretionary purchases either online or in person to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce. Discretionary purchases include things such as clothing, art and tools, among others. Non-discretionary purchases include things like groceries, firewood and medical bills, among others.

Businesses interested in participating must be located in Kenai City limits, must have been in existence with a valid state business license as of Jan. 1, 2021, must be current in sales tax registration with the borough and must not be a national chain or C corporation traded on the U.S. stock exchange.

Voucher payments would be made to businesses on a weekly basis, with new businesses being allowed to sign onto the program at any time.

According to a memo from Acting City Manager Terry Eubank to the council, the program would help provide economic support during a time of the year that is usually slow and during a “time of critical recovery” from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city would enter into an agreement with the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center for the program, to which $115,000 would be allocated. $100,000 would be used for incentives to shoppers and $15,000 would be used for administrative costs such as marketing, supplies and materials.

The council will consider the program at their Jan. 6 meeting.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.

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