The fourth annual Shop Hop will take place on Nov. 28. The event, held in conjunction with Small Business Saturday, encourages people to shop locally.
The Shop Hop is entering its fourth year. And Luanne Richards, of Creative Gifts and More, continues to expand it.
Last year she added a dog walk and pet photos with Santa Claus. This year the Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce will be supplying a free continental breakfast. To date, Cromwell Manor and Caldwell House have offered to donate food and drink for the breakfast.
Shoppers will be able to enjoy breakfast under a tent in the municipal parking lot from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28.
People can start registering for the dog walk at 8:30 a.m. It will begin at 9 in front of Puppy Paws and proceed down Main Street to the crosswalk just before Town Hall. Humans and canines will then cross the road and return to Bridge Street, where pets can pose for photographs with Santa from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Richards said the donations collected at the dog walk will be given to the Cornwall Bark Park. The fee for the photograph will benefit the park, the Safe Haven Animal Shelter and the Wildlife Center, in Hopewell Junction.
Those who sign up for the walk will receive a bandana for their pet, coupons, treats for the dogs, pet care information, and other donations from local veterinarians.
As of the end of October, 26 shops in Cornwall and Cornwall-on-Hudson were signed up for the Shop Hop. Richards said 34 shops participated last year, but she’s limiting it to a more manageable 30 this year.
Participants include: The Shops at Jones Farm, Encore Consign For A Cause, Touch of Gold Jewelers, Cornwall Wines & Spirits, World Wide Travel of Cornwall, Bodies In Balance, Color Me Krazy, Puppy Paws, Vails Gate Cleaners, MOD, The Elizabeth Collection, The Computer Shop HVNY, Hazard’s Pharmacy, Brid’s Closet, Creative Gifts & More, Merritt Florist, Fresh, Madison Ave Fine Children’s Clothing, Cornwall Yarn Shop, Bella Donna Hair Salon, Firthcliffe Technologies Inc., Kneading Time Spa, Mindful Balance Acupuncture, The Stylist’s Chair, GHS Jewelers Inc., and Hudson Valley Gallery.
Shoppers can get their scorecards for the event in the Nov. 20 issue of the Local or they can find them in any of the participating shops. Most of the stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The scorecard will identify the ones that have different hours.
What is the Shop Hop?
In conjunction with Small Business Saturday, sponsored by American Express, the Shop Hop gives people an incentive to visit local businesses.
Each participating shop will hand out scorecards. This year the scorecard will appear in the Nov. 20 edition of The Local. To be eligible for the drawing for the grand prize, shoppers will have to get their scorecard signed at every stop and then leave the card at the last place they visit.
To draw people into the shops, some stores will offer gifts, refreshments or special sales.
Shoppers aren’t obligated to buy anything, but business owners have experienced an increase in sales on Small Business Saturday.