By any indicator, the “Holding Our Own” Shop Soldotna Program has been an unmitigated success. Utilizing $100,000 in CARES Act funding from the City of Soldotna, this initiative was launched on November 16th, 2020 with the intention of running through December 16th, 2020, and motivating $300,000 of local spending, through showcasing and incentivizing dollars spent. For every $200 spent shopping Soldotna, participants receive two (2) $50 vouchers of their choice to spend at local participating businesses by the end of 2020.
On Thursday, December 3rd, the Soldotna Chamber announced they had distributed the entire original investment of $100,000, in the form of vouchers, to area shoppers. In light of the incredible popularity of the initiative, the City of Soldotna allocated an additional $100,000 in CARES Act funding to the program. The funding will bring the total impact of the “Holding Our Own” Shop Soldotna Program to $600,000 in spending at Soldotna businesses. The additional investment will also allow the popular program to continue running the through its original end date of December 16th.
53 Soldotna businesses are currently signed up to accept vouchers. Receipts to reach the $200 threshold for shoppers to receive vouchers are accepted from any business in Soldotna city limits, but only discretionary spending counts towards the total. For the purpose of this program, discretionary spending is defined as non-essential, such as clothing, gifts, furniture, recreation and entertainment. Non-discretionary spending, such as money spent on groceries, gas, rent, and utilities does not qualify.
In order to spread the shop local love, the Soldotna Chamber is limiting each household to one submission for vouchers. Shoppers and area businesses who would like to learn more about the program can go to VisitSoldotna.com/ShopLocal/, or call the Soldotna Chamber at 262-9814.