Willie the Wildcat’s growling face may soon adorn the storefronts of many Evanston shops and restaurants.
In an effort to improve relationships between Evanston and the Northwestern community, university officials and members of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and the Evanston Small Business Association met Tuesday to discuss expanding the existing Local Merchant Discount Program. To encourage business from the local community, the program allows NU students, faculty and staff to receive discounts at participating Evanston businesses. Program planners also are considering expanding the cashstripe program that allows students to use their WildCARD as a debit card in local businesses.
The new program, tentatively called the WildCARD Advantage, will allow businesses to advertise discounts in a variety of ways, which include a brochure listing all participants, a new Web site and an NU decal in the window of their store.
One of the concerns raised by business owners was that students were not aware of the program.
“We need to make an asserted effort to use more local businesses,” said John Marshall, NU’s Economic Opportunity coordinator. “We need to promote the program a lot more within the university and make the merchants more visible to the students.”
The program presently encompasses some 200 businesses and has been rather successful so far. But Marshall said it can be much bigger and more beneficial to both students and businesses.
“We want to get more businesses involved with Northwestern,” said Katie Maas Bally, Chamber of Commerce president.
The purpose of the meeting was to open the dialogue between NU and Evanston businesses, said ESBA board member Troy Thiel. Another meeting will determine the specifics of the program and begin promoting the program to businesses in the area and new students in the fall.
“We want businesses to say, ‘How do I get that sticker in my window? How do I get involved?'” said David Peach, Small Business Committee chairman for the Chamber of Commerce.
Perhaps the main obstacle in implementing the program on a larger scale is getting it more organized, said Lucile Krasnow, NU liaison to the business community.
“You have to analyze what a discount does or does not do,” Krasnow said. “When you have a discount, it’s more of an incentive for people to shop there.”
The meeting took place at Flat Top Grill, 707 Church St., one of the restaurants expressing interest in providing a discount specifically to students.
“We’re thrilled to be hosting this event representing the best of what Evanston is really about,” said Nicole Stavish, corporate marketing director for Flat Top Grill. “This is a true joining of ESBA, the Chamber and Northwestern. We are particularly interested in becoming involved in this.”
Currently the program includes stores such as Barnes & Noble, 1701 Sherman Ave., which offers 10 percent off on paperback books and 20 percent off on hardcovers; Presence, a women’s clothing store at 1631 Sherman Ave., offers 10 percent off of one item per visit; and Omni Spa, 1714 Orrington Ave., which offers $15 off of haircuts and $45 off of one-hour body massages.
A listing of all businesses involved in the program can be found at www.univsvcs.northwestern.edu/discount.html.
