SUPERIOR, Colo. — The “Superior Cash” program that sent out free gift cards valid at local businesses to every household in town ended as a “resounding success,” according to Town Trustees.
“It’s driving repeat customers, it’s driving new business, and in a broader standpoint it’s driving sales and volume they wouldn’t have otherwise seen,” Superior Town Trustee Ken Lish said.
Denver7 first covered the idea of the town using CARES Act money to send out twenty dollar gift certificates in mid-December. To date, Lish estimates nearly $35,000 worth of gift cards have been redeemed, with likely even more spent and yet to be redeemed by businesses.
“It really was a great program that gave us a boost during these tough times,” said Wayne Shelnutt, owner of Wayne’s Smoke Shack.
Wayne’s was one of the local businesses Superior Cash was accepted. They then turned the certificates over to the town for reimbursement.
“I would say we’ve had between 40 to 50 people a day using certificates,” Shelnutt said. “It’s been a really good way to gain exposure to community, which we feel will be very beneficial moving forward.”
The Smoke Shack had to cut hours of operation as they lost sales due to the pandemic. Those sales, in part, returned thanks to the gift certificate program.
“Anything we could to stimulate our economy on the consumer side and the business side,” Lish said.
Other local businesses that were positively impacted by the program, according to the town, include PJ’s Diner, the local Firehouse Subs and Asian Cuisine & Vietnamese Noodle House.
Lish called the program a “resounding success,” adding that other municipalities had already reached out to possibly use their model in their own towns.