For more on Ace’s commitment to Thinking & Buying Locally, see the Austin Chronicle post below, and pick up the December 18 issue of Ace.
Indie Record Store Will Take Big-Box Gift Cards This Year; Will Help Lexingtonians to “Think Local”
Lexington music store CD Central will accept gift cards from competing big-box stores such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy this holiday season, in an effort to get local residents to ³think local² when doing their holiday and post-holiday shopping. According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated $25 billion will be spent on gift cards this year. Most will be issued by large national chains.
“Lexington is lucky to have a vibrant network of locally-owned, independent businesses, which offer a great experience for shoppers and help make Lexington the unique place that it is. Unfortunately, lots of people will be getting Christmas stockings full of gift cards redeemable only at faceless, corporate big-box stores with a limited selection of music,” said CD Central owner Steve Baron.
CD Central will help local music lovers unload their unwanted gift cards by accepting them at full face value for CD, DVD and record purchases. The store will accept cards from competitors including Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, Target and Amazon.
Baron said the gift card program has two goals:
- to introduce more people to the experience of buying music at an actual record store rather than a place that specializes in computers, books, or appliances;
- and to encourage people to think about the options they have to shop locally.
CD Central is a member of Local First Lexington, an alliance of locally-owned, independent businesses. According to LFL, locally owned businesses keep more money in the local economy than their national competitors, provide more stable employment, contribute to the unique character of Lexington, and provide a level of choice and customer service unavailable elsewhere.
As for the competitor gift cards redeemed by CD Central customers, Baron said CD Central will use them for routine store purchases such as cleaning supplies, computer parts, or hardware. “And that’ll be one less CD that Wal-Mart will sell,” Baron said.
Pick up Ace’s Dec 18 issue for more on the Local movement.
