South County Merchants See Tollway as 2-Way Street
Highways run both ways.
That’s the message being delivered by a handful of businesses in Mission Viejo, following a spate of stories about the San Joaquin Hills tollway making it easier for South County consumers to spend their holiday bonuses at North County shopping centers.
South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island have been particularly aggressive when it comes to advertising that the tollway eliminates traffic jams that previously made the two malls less attractive to South County shoppers.
Now, Mission Viejo Mall and Mission Viejo Imports are running a “Shop South County” campaign that includes certificates redeemable for food, gifts or entertainment at Mission Viejo Mall. The program, which runs through Jan. 15, offers $2 mall gift certificates to motorists who present an original San Joaquin Hills tollway receipt.
“Our goal is to remind Orange County residents that the new corridor runs both ways,” said Mission Viejo Mall general manager Connie Wilson. “We also want to draw attention to the positive aspects of shopping in beautiful South County.”
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Greg Johnson covers retail businesses and restaurants for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5950 and at greg.johnson@latimes.com
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