Watkins Glen, NY – Spring has sprung and construction has begun in downtown Watkins Glen! Construction of new sidewalks, along with improvements to crosswalks, signage, and signals will be completed this spring, early summer, and mid fall, ahead of a mill and pave of State Route 14 in 2019.
To help encourage visitation to downtown businesses during construction, the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce unveiled a Pedestrian Passport, full of deals and discounts from local businesses! Passports run on a monthly basis. The respective square representing each participating will be stamped or initialed by the store clerk when customers make a purchase. At the end of the month, shoppers will turn in their passport at the chamber of commerce and then the chamber will draw a winner from all of the passports that were turned in. Shoppers will receive one entry for each purchase they made, indicated the marked squares in their passport. The winner will receive a gift basket full of local products and a gift certificate for dinner at a local restaurant!
Chamber President and CEO Rebekah Carroll shares, “We are here to help share information and updates with community members and business owners throughout construction. We are keeping lines of communication open with State DOT and the Village of Watkins Glen. It’s important for all of us to work together to advance our common goal – a thriving, beautiful downtown. We opened our Pedestrian Passport program to all downtown businesses, not just those on our membership and we have been very pleased with the response. While we know that construction will present some challenges, with the right information, coordination, and support, our businesses will not only endure, but prosper through this process.”
Shoppers can pick up Pedestrian Passports at the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce (214 N. Franklin Street, Watkins Glen) or at any participating business. Passport offers include:
- Colonial Pottery & Creamery: 10% off your purchase of homemade ice cream
- El Rancho Mexican Restaurant: Half price appetizer or free large house margarita with your dinner order
- The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor: 10% off your purchase along with a free gift
- Jerlando’s Ristorante & Pizza Co.: $5 off a $25 purchase or a free dessert with your purchase of two entrees
- Local 62: 10% off your purchase
- Massage by Jen: $10 off a one-hour massage
- Rooster Fish Brewing: BOGO tasting (buy one, get one free!)
- Ultimate Apparel: 10% off your purchase or choose a free clearance item when you spend $75 or more
- Village Memorabilia: 10% off select merchandise
- Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce: $2 off two tickets to Friday on Franklin
- Wine and Design: $5 off any public event in Watkins Glen including the April 15 Design on Wheels at El Rancho Mexican Restaurant, May 14 Design on Wheels at Landon’s, May 20 Design on Wheels at El Rancho, and more! Visit the Wine & Design Ithaca website to view their upcoming schedule: https://www.wineanddesign.com/calendars/ithaca
The chamber of commerce will house key information, including project timelines, updates, and shopping promotions on their website: www.watkinsglenchamber.com/progressahead. You can also follow along on Facebook and sign up for the chamber’s weekly e-newsletter to receive other periodic updates and announcements related to construction.
