Shop Local Support Downtown Akron
This holiday shopping season shop local and support downtown Akron businesses!
Enter for a chance to win prizes when you visit or shop downtown this holiday season with our Shop Local program. There are weekly prizes, completist prizes, and grand prizes.
To participate:
- Pick up a GREEN Shop Local Support Downtown Akron pin at any of more than 10 downtown locations, or use your BLUE Shop Local pin from last year.
- Wear your pin when you're downtown (and everywhere else)!
Prizes and entry:
- Weekly prizes: Take a selfie inside a retail, experience-based or dining business with your Shop Local pin visible and post it to social media, tagging DAP and the business patronized to enter for a weekly prize
- Downtown Advocate Prize: Make purchases at 3 retail or experience-based businesses and 3 dining establishments (6 places total), then send photos of your button and your 6 receipts to info@downtownakron.com to enter for the Downtown Advocate Prize, which will include two tickets to either The Great Escape Room or The Nightlight Cinema and a $50 Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Card
- Downtown Champion Prize: Make purchases at 7 retail or experience-based businesses and 7 dining establishments (14 places total), then send photos of their your buttons and 14 receipts to info@downtownakron.com to enter for a grand prize, which will include a one-night stay at the BLU-Tique Hotel, two tickets to a show, and a $100 Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Card
- Completist Prizes: Everyone who enters to win the Downtown Champion Prize by submitting 14 receipts will automatically receive a Completist Prize (while supplies last).
Experience-based purchases include: purchasing tickets to a show, concert, visiting a museum, attending a sporting event, the Great Escape Room, going to a studio session at Street Craftery, as well as service activities, such as getting a haircut at The Experience Barber and Beauty Shop. *Free experiences count: instead of a sales receipt, send a photo of yourself at the event with a date and description.
For lists of retail, experience, and dining establishments located in the 49-block Downtown Akron Special Improvement District, visit downtownakron.com/explore.
Support Local Businesses
Get the NEW Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Card
Give ONE e-gift card they can use at MANY locations, including
- retailers
- restaurants
- services
- entertainment venues
It works just like any other gift card you've ever received, except better:
- One Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Card can be used in 26 (and counting) different downtown Akron locations.
- No plastic or paper cards to misplace: Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Cards live on your phone.*
- Easily check your card balance.
* You can also print out your card information, as desired.
Are you an employer or organization? Volume discounts are available.
Consider using Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Cards for employee rewards, holiday gifts, customer appreciation, welcome gifts, promotions, incentives, etc. Get access to reduced or waived fees for purchases over $1,000, plus direct assistance and a free Enterprise Account with business reporting. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Find out more.
Downtown Akron Shopping and Dining Guides
Check out the updated Downtown Shopping Guide
NEW: A Zips Guide to Shopping Small & Local in Akron (by University of Akron students)
Explore Downtown Akron Eateries
Explore Downtown Akron Shops, Entertainment, and Arts & Culture
Who's Open for Lunch in Downtown Akron? Here Is a Regularly-Updated Guide