With the Holiday Season upon us, let’s all remember to Shop Gainesville-Hall County! As patrons of our local stores, we keep our money in the community and boost our retail industry and local economy.
Colonial Lakeshore Mall, located on Pearl Nix Parkway in Gainesville, was built in 1963. Owned by Alabama-based Colonial Properties Trust, the mall features some 70 permanent tenants, with anchors Belk, Sears and J.C. Penney’s, and several new holiday/temporary retailers. Some holiday tenants lease storefronts, while others sell from kiosks and carts. Gift certificate available. 770-535-8877 or visit colonialmalllakeshore.com
The Upstairs Downtown Tour and Holiday Open House sponsored by Main Street Gainesville on November 18 will feature the many unique shops and restaurants around the Historic Downtown Square. Aglow with Christmas lights and holiday decor, downtown shops offer everything from equestrian wear to vintage books… hand made jewelry, pottery and paintings to the latest trends in clothing fashion. Specialty restaurants downtown offer gift certificates, gourmet foods, and unique dining experiences!
Recently opened is the new Village Shoppes of Gainesville. Dozens of shops are located in the 207,355 square foot center located on a 20-acre site on Dawsonville Highway (former site of Kmart Supercenter) with tenants including Old Navy, Marshall’s, Tuesday Morning, Ross Dress for Less.
Don’t forget our larger retailers such as Sam’s Club in Oakwood, Chapter 11 Books, Office Depot, Goody’s Family Clothing store, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Wal-Mart, along with different specialty shops like The Quinlan Museum Gift Shop and the Northeast Georgia History Center shop.
Our local municipality retailers in Oakwood and Flowery Branch could use your support as well. The Greater Hall Chamber Welcome Center will offer specialty plates and mugs depicting Gainesville-Hall County scenes and historic places – a great Christmas gift!
We must remember that the SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) initiatives, (both capital improvement and education) depend on shopping and spending dollars in Hall County. There are some retailers that offer programs to give a portion of the dollars spent at their establishment to a school chosen by the buyer. This is a great idea to build loyalty on behalf of the buyer.
We need to think of the SPLOST initiatives in the same manner. Regardless of where we shop, we have to pay sales tax, so it makes the most sense to spend money here in Hall County. Think of it this way… would you rather help another county build a new road or would you rather improve our roads here at home or build a new school?
Have a wonderful Holiday Season, and remember spending your dollars in Gainesville-Hall County benefits every citizen!