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SALT LAKE CITY — In November, the Downtown Dollars program was established to help struggling restaurants and retailers in Salt Lake City's commercial core. Utahns can purchase electronic gift cards and get a certain amount of "bonus bucks" tacked on to spend at dozens of downtown businesses.
With the end of the year approaching, the Downtown Alliance is now upping the ante and sweetening the bonus bucks deal to sell more Downtown Dollars and help more downtown businesses.
Previously, Utahns who purchased Downtown Dollars could get 10 bonus bucks for a $50 gift card purchase, or 25 bonus bucks for a $75 purchase. Now, the Downtown Alliance is offering $50 in bonus cash for every $100 spent on Downtown Dollars through the end of the year, effectively discounting purchases by one-third.
The bonus bucks portion of Downtown Dollars are funded through the Shop In Utah grant program, which was created with federal funds allocated to Utah through Congress' March coronavirus relief bill. Those funds have to be spent by the end of the year.
Downtown Alliance executive director Dee Brewer said they've sold $90,000 of Downtown Dollars so far and are hoping to sell another $200,000 before the end of the year. "We think that can have a real impact for those downtown restaurants and retailers, who have been hit harder than most," he said.
The bonus bucks portion of the gift card expires at the end of May 2021, but the main balance does not expire; however, after 12 months of inactivity, a $3 fee will be assessed monthly.
Businesses that accept Downtown Dollars include Ken Sanders Rare Books, Gourmandise, Carson Kitchen, Caputo's Market & Deli, Ginger Street, Blue Iguana, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, and many more downtown retailers, restaurants and bars. A full list of participating businesses is available here.
Some merchants are offering additional discounts to shoppers paying with Downtown Dollars. For example, the Red Rock Brewery 200 West location was offering 10% off food purchased with Downtown Dollars as of Thursday.
Utahns who want to purchase Downtown Dollars as a gift can enter the recipient's information at checkout and send the gift card directly to them.
Brewer said he hopes families from throughout northern Utah and the greater region will still make downtown Salt Lake City part of their plans this holiday season. "They typically come to the city to enjoy the holidays, for shopping and to see the lights," Brewer said. "And while some of those traditions have been adapted in this pandemic year, there are dozens of beautiful light displays downtown."
More information on Downtown Dollars is available at downtownslc.org/dollars.
