It’s not easy to approach strangers, but it helps if you’re giving them free money with no strings attached.
That’s what representatives of the Durango Business Improvement District and the Bank of Colorado did for the past three days.
Tim Walsworth, executive director of the business district, came up with the idea as part of Random Acts of Kindness Week, which is put on by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. (Yes, there is such a thing).
The BID and Bank of Colorado split the cost of purchasing 100 gift cards good for $5 each at 10 local businesses. For the past three days, they gave them away to shoppers downtown, including locals and tourists alike.
On Friday, Walsworth went out with the bank’s branch manager, Christine Phillips. They walked a loop up and down Main Avenue, from 11th Street to College Drive, and back again.
“We appreciate you being downtown and shopping,” Walsworth told his first gift-card recipient, Anthony Smalls of Durango.
Smalls was given a $5 gift card to Steamworks Brewing Co. as he did some last-minute Valentine’s Day shopping. He said he enjoys the restaurant and brewpub.
“I was there when they had the chicken and waffles,” he said. “It was great. Good beer there. So, I enjoy it.”
Janie Hubert and Jesse Pachter of Denver were checking out downtown Durango for a possible relocation.
“I love it here,” Hubert said.
The couple were given gift cards to Durango Coffee Co. and Homeslice Pizza.
Stephanie Salupo of Durango was so happy to receive her gift card to Maria’s Bookshop that she drew in Phillips for a hug.
“Give me some sugar,” she said as she wrapped up the banker.
Walsworth and Phillips gave away the cards more or less at random. One tip: Being occupied by a cellphone conversation was not conducive to receiving a random act of kindness.
This was the first year Walsworth has done the promotion. He’s looking forward to doing it again at some point, perhaps outside the official Random Acts of Kindness Week, as BID’s budget and the bank’s budget allow.
“The main reason is just to reward people for being downtown,” he said. “It’s a way to spur a little bit of economic activity – but in a fun, rewarding, random-acts-of-kindness sort of way.”
cslothower@durangoherald.com
