West Dundee coupons aim to keep commerce in town

In an effort to promote local businesses, West Dundee will offer residents a discount card to a plethora of retailers and restaurants that call the village home.

Residents can find the discount cards in the upcoming village newsletter, which should hit mailboxes at the end of August.

The business card-sized passes will get residents a 10 percent discount at almost a dozen local restaurants, from chain establishments like McDonald's to downtown locales like Emmett's Tavern, Community Development Director Cathleen Tymoszenko said.

A separate card will be good for discounts to more than 20 retailers in the village, including some at Spring Hill Mall. Each retailer will offer its own discount as outlined in the newsletter.

Tymoszenko said the program is based on similar initiatives in Crystal Lake and also the Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce.

"The purpose is really to promote shopping and dining locally and to make people aware of how important those decisions are," Tymoszenko said. "Money spent in here really does have an impact on the village ... it's the whole idea of keeping tax dollars in the village. And everything you need can be found here."

For participating merchants like Red Wing Shoes on West Main Street, the program is an avenue to build awareness.

"Part of it is to get out there and let people know we are here," said Red Wing Shoes sales associate Donna Atkinson. "West Dundee is working with us and we enjoy the fact that they want to do some advertising and keep some money in town."

The program is expected to cost the village no more than $1,000 to print and distribute the cards, Tymoszenko said.