Shop The Block Adds More Businesses, Slims Marketing Budget

If you felt like you visited more stores during Reading's downtown this year, you may have.

Erin Calvo-Bacci, owner of , said downtown businesses decided to take a different tack on the annual tradition this year. Instead of building a large promotional presence to advertise the event, the businesses opted to slash the event's marketing budget to dramatically drop the cost to participate and asked participating businesses to do what they could to get the word out themselves.

As a result, she said, she believes more businesses participated—though she didn't have an exact count when she spoke to Reading Patch. She planned to take a manual count by walking Main and Haven Streets.

"There are so many people that are participating and have become involved in the event," she said.

The businesses will review the strategy succeeded in January, Calvo-Bacci said. In future years, she said, she would like to see downtown restaurants participate, and she would like to organize another Shop the Block for the spring time.

Leslie Leahy, owner of , credited Calvo-Bacci with encouraging the new approach.

Leahy said Shop the Block is one of the store's best nights each year, and she enjoys the live performers provided by , who stationed students at several downtown stores in 15-minute intervals.

For , this year was a particularly special. Owner Jacqui Bento said it was the first year that the salon officially participated in Shop the Block. In earlier years, Bento said, the salon scheduled a holiday party on the same night as Shop the Block. This year, though, she paid her entry fee and hung a red bow to signal her participation.

Additionaly, this year marked Salon on Haven's first Shop the Block in its new location. To support the event, Bento offered special offers to visitors, including a discount if they brought a friend.

Calvo-Bacci said she enjoys the event, particularly for the variety offered by Reading's downtown businesses.

"It's nice to be able to have a community that is walkable," she said.