Looking for a lure

Suzie Harrison

If it were Western Kansas, there likely would have been a few

tumbleweeds rolling by. But it wasn’t Kansas, it was Downtown Laguna

and the streets were supposed to be full of shopping locals.

It was a week before Christmas, it was the third Thursday of the

month, but very few were out buying gifts as part of Locals Night.

Mention Locals Night to many and it will be greeted with a

shoulder shrug and a question asking what it is. The city has

recently begun a night designed to lure locals out to shop locally,

but scarcely a Lagunan knows about it.

Locals Night is a concept that has taken on many forms over the

years, but its primary purpose is to bring shoppers to eat, drink and

shop in Laguna Beach by offering store discounts from participating

merchants.

“It’s one more effort of bringing customers to Laguna merchants,

encouraging people to come out and shop and know that there is a

designated night to do that,” Chamber employee Suzanne Lilly said.

“It’s about coming out and experiencing what we have to offer.”

The program was initiated by the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce,

and in its December run it added some bells and whistles to help

boost attendance, offering a contest to win a shopping spree.

To add to the holiday theme, Santa made his first evening

appearance since Hospitality Night. Mrs. Claus and the Snow Fairy

were also there to bolster participation.

A wide variety of local businesses participated from Bubbles of

Laguna, Ropage Beauty and Salon to Tuvalu, Kokopelli Gallery, Hobie

Surf Shop, Hayes Jewelry, Bushards Pharmacy and Hennessey’s Tavern.

Cathy Wilkinson, owner of Bubbles, helps organize the monthly

event.

“It’s been done so many times in the past,” Wilkinson said. “It

starts at 5 p.m. and goes until 9 p.m., people come Downtown and

there are discounts and promotions at every store.”

Also some stores do a free giveaway and in the summer there are

sidewalk sales.

Sande St. John knows locals night well. St. John and Sandy Thorton

came up with the idea more than six years ago when they were

co-executive directors of the chamber.

“It was called Good Night Laguna,” St. John said. “We put it

together the first year. No one knew about it. On the morning of the

event, we went down to the beach and gave out a hundred fliers and

told them they could come for free.”

At that time there were more community organizations involved,

with groups such as the Boys and Girls Club selling hot cookies, and

there were clowns and other elements to draw a crowd.

That’s why they came up with the idea to have a special happening

for December to bring the people back to Locals Night.

That’s a tough order in the winter where even Saturday Nights are

pretty beat. That’s why the chamber has decided to put the event on

hiatus for January and February while it is still cold and gets dark

early.

However, the merchants will be looking for Lagunans to participate

every third Thursday of the month, starting again in March.

“Look for Locals Night returning in the spring,” Lilly said.

To find out more about Locals Night, call the chamber at (949)

494-1018 ext. 1.