Choosing to shop at an Oak Park business this holiday season helps strengthen the local economy and even reduces the community’s carbon footprint by reducing travel distances. Retail sales benefit not only local retailers, but the entire Village since 2 percent of every retail sale comes back to municipal coffers to fund vital public services. For many retailers, the holiday season is the most important time of the year.
Find local shopping options online…Get inspired and plan for your holiday shopping by visiting www.pickoakpark.com, an online directory that offers information on more than 800 local licensed businesses by type and district. The website also offers a listing of initiatives unique to the community, like the Downtown Oak Park’s Shopper’s Rewards program.
Free holiday weekend parking…Shopping local will be easier than ever beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving through Dec. 25 when parking will be free Saturdays in public garages and for two hours at pay-by-plate stations and marked meters downtown and in the vicinity of south Oak Park Avenue. Parking is always free on Sunday. Village officials say they hope this small gesture will increase sales as well as create goodwill among the businesses and their customers. For more information on parking in the Village, email parking@oak-park.us or visit www.oak-park.us/parking.