Business - Impressions of Saratoga celebrates 30 years

To help celebrate their 30th anniversary, the staff at Impressions of Saratoga is giving back to the community that has supported them for three decades. Beginning June 10, customers who shop at Impressions of Saratoga on Tuesdays will receive a free tote bag in hopes to reduce waste and make an effort to “go green.” On subsequent Tuesdays, if a customer brings in the tote bag they will receive a 10 percent discount on their purchases. An insert inside the bag will explain how the process works, owner Marianne Barker said. Supplies are limited however, she added.

There are 1,200 bags in stock, which represent Impressions of Saratoga with the store’s logo, horse hoofs and dog paw prints decorating the light-weight material.

“We wanted to do something special for our 30th year that would keep people coming back,” Barker said. “Tuesdays are quieter days on Broadway, so we thought this might help get people out and about.”

While reading a magazine, Barker discovered the term “locavore,” meaning someone who eats foods that are grown or raised in the area they live in to support local farms and businesses. She said the term stuck with her and she wanted to find a way to make the term pertinent to shoppers as well.

“I figured if we are all starting to eat locally, we might as well buy locally as well. It really helps the economy and local business owners,” she said. “We are all struggling with the same issues—gas prices and the economy—and I think we are all just trying to figure out how much those things will affect us in the long run.”

This new initiative is not just a seasonal effort to up sales, Barker explained, but a “thank you” that will work year round.

“We want to thank all of our loyal customers, not just the ones who are here in the summertime,” she said.

She hopes that these tote bags will help reduce waste as they are fully reusable and large enough to fit numerous items. They are one foot tall and 16 inches wide -- just large enough to use when grocery shopping or at the Farmer’s Market, she said.

“We were hoping to go a little green and in this day in age, anything helps,” she said.

Aside from the tote bags, Impressions of Saratoga offers a frequent shopper card and a mailing list to help keep business up in an uncertain time.

“I think we all have challenges ahead. Every business has its ups and downs, but we have a great customer base, and this is our thank you to them,” Barker said.