Stimulus check idea pays off big time in Lake Zurich

Economic news has been depressing lately, but Tom Eccles will smile all the way to the bank today to collect $1,300 he won for spending his government economic stimulus rebate check.

Eccles is the $1,200 grand prize winner of the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce's Let Loose - Spend & Win campaign, which offered shoppers cash incentives to spend their stimulus checks locally. He won a $100 raffle prize earlier in the campaign.

"I'm a lucky guy," said Eccles, an independent insurance agent from unincorporated Wauconda Township. "Whoever thought of this was a genius. I've been involved with other chambers, but I think Lake Zurich is the best. They do a great job promoting local businesses."

Eccles spent a "substantial" amount of money for new hardwood floors from Wizard of Wood Flooring and had his car engine rebuilt at Lindberg Automotive, both in Lake Zurich.

"I believe in supporting the little guys, the mom and pop shops," he said.

"And, if we could take advantage of the opportunity to win something back, every little bit helps."

Chamber officials are touting the campaign as a huge success based on the more than $200,000 shoppers spent at chamber member businesses between May 1 and June 30.

Buyers presented receipts for purchases of $500 or more to enter drawings for six $100 cash prizes and the $1,200 grand prize.

A majority of the purchases were made at Home Depot and Costco, as well as some at Binny's Beverage Depot, auto repair shops and smaller home improvement stores for items such as patio furniture and hardwood floors.

It's what the stimulus checks were designed for, said Dale Perrin, chamber of commerce executive director.

"That's exactly what we wanted people to spend it on," Perrin said. "We were happy with it. I hope our members are, too. Due to the numbers spent and looking at the type of receipts that came through, it was a great success."

The Lake Zurich chamber tried a similar campaign in fall 2006 to lure shoppers to stores along routes 12 and 22 that had sustained sales losses from a year and a half of roadwork. That campaign generated $140,000 in sales at area shops during construction.

"Because of the success of the last two, we are talking about possibly doing something like this on an annual basis," Perrin said.