LSCP passport encourages residents to shop locally

MARQUETTE — The Lake Superior Community Partnership has a new way to encourage residents to shop locally in Marquette County.

Starting Thursday, residents can buy a Shop Local Passport and receive discounts at over two dozen restaurants and businesses across the county. The discounts are good from November 1 through December 31.

“Once you have your passport and you bring them into the store, the cashier will mark how much you spent on the page so that at the end of the program we hope to collect the passports back and have an idea (of) how much was spent locally as a result of this program,” LSCP director of marketing and communications Betsy Morais said.

“All proceeds raised are going to go to our business development department and they provide services for everybody in the county, whether you’re and LSCP partner or not, and more of them are free.”

Supporting local businesses helps keep money in Marquette County, not only during the holiday shopping season but throughout the year.

“Shopping locally is important because all of these companies that are providing discounts in the passport employ our community so it helps keep jobs in our area,” Morais said.

At the end of the program, turn in your passport for a chance to win a prize from the participating businesses. Passports are $10 and can be purchased at the LSCP office in Marquette or the Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce.

More information, including a list of participating businesses, can be found on the LSCP’s website.