Unwrap the #ThinkLocalFirst Holiday Edition 

Are you a business owner looking for free advertisement to get more customers to your business this holiday season? Look no further, as the Trail & District Chamber of Commerce has your back!

With support from the Columbia Basin Trust’s Holiday Buy Local Grant, the Chamber is spearheading a cross-promotional initiative with the Trail Times and EZ Rock: #ThinkLocalFirst Holiday Edition.

If you are a local business owner and would like to promote a unique offering this holiday season in a newspaper feature, further promoted through radio advertisement and across social media platforms, the opportunity is knocking.

It’s easy to participate. Simply email thinklocaltrail@gmail.com with a:

• company logo
• high-resolution photo and description of the pictured holiday gift, experience, service, or accommodation

The time to act is now, as the full-page Trail Times’ four-week feature kicks off the first week of December.

View the #thinklocalfirst Holiday Shopping Directory HERE.

Support Your Community, Shop Local (and Win!) This Holiday Season

Turkey, roast beef, or…spaghetti? If you’re in a pinch for a holiday meal, why not try a Trail tradition? Do you know the nickname of this restaurant’s second mall location?

In addition to showcasing the best giftable products and services the region’s businesses have to offer, the newspaper feature will also include a unique holiday riddle or question that highlights a local business. Props if you know the answer to this one, but this is just a taste. Watch for the featured Christmas riddle and play along by submitting your answer to thinklocaltrail@gmail.com for a chance to win a holiday gift, which will be drawn at the end of the campaign.

Give the Gift of a Prosperous Local Economy

‘Tis the season for giving, so why not give back to your local economy? Support your community over the holidays by shopping at the businesses that help it flourish. When you purchase at locally owned businesses, more money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses, service providers, and farms. The South Kootenay offers an incredible variety of gifts, services, and memorable experiences; that’s why we’re encouraging residents to support their neighbours and buy locally from the approximate 600 businesses within the area.

Holiday Shopping Has Never Been so Easy

Let’s keep our economy thriving in the last month of what has proven to be a challenging year in business due to COVID-19. Local businesses have shifted their operations to deliver new safety protocols and ensure they can continue to support their customers with in-person and online options.

Regional Businesses Gifted Free Holiday Advertisement 

Collaboration is vital, and this campaign is proof. Together we can prosper economically while spreading holiday cheer as a community. Municipalities within South Kootenay have endorsed this regional initiative that received partial in-kind services from the Trail Times and EZ Rock. The Chamber also recognizes its Diamond sponsors, including Teck, Waneta Plaza, and Scotiabank, for their continued support.

The Chamber is a not-for-profit organization that acts as a hub and advocate for regional businesses. While it usually works to deliver support specifically to its members, this initiative and much of its work at large is for the betterment of all businesses within the region.

#ThinkLocalFirst this holiday season and give the gift of buying from one neighbour to give to another.