The Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce Christmas Walk, the paper’s gift ideas series (see Page 7 for this week’s installment), Holidays in Hinsdale (see Page 30), and 12 Days of Holiday Cheer (Page 32) all are designed to encourage residents to shop in Hinsdale this holiday season.
We hardly think more motivation is necessary, but in case it is, we offer the following 12 reasons (one for each shopping day left until Christmas) to shop in town.
1. Find the perfect gift
Hinsdale merchants offer an incredible range of merchandise for women, men and children. You find everything from stocking stuffers for the kids to the finest timepieces in the world.
2. Cut your drive time
Downtown Hinsdale is at most an 8-minute drive — and much closer for most residents. Grant and Gateway squares are just minutes away as well, making it easy to fit a shopping trip while the kids are at piano lessons or on a play date.
3. Park nearby
Yes, yes, we know the parking deck is still under construction. But the lot at Lincoln and Second streets is open for shoppers — and the village lot between Lincoln and Washington streets just north of the tracks is open and free on Saturdays. Either location is just a short stroll to your downtown destination of choice. Lucky for Grant and Gateway square shoppers, those locations have their own parking lots.
4. Enjoy a personal touch
The folks you’ll find behind the counter can provide detailed information about the merchandise they’re selling, make recommendations for a specific person on your gift list and offer any other assistance you might need.
5. Make a day of it
Nestled in with retail shops, you’ll find inviting spas and tempting restaurants. You can combine a day of shopping with a quick lunch, a calming massage, a relaxing dinner — or all three.
6. Invest in the community
Sales tax dollars generated at retail stores and food and beverage taxes collected at restaurants help support village operations, such as repairing roads and upgrading parks. On top of that, for every $100 spent, about $70 returns to the local economy.
7. Support your neighbors
Many retailers are also Hinsdale residents, and most depend on the weeks before Christmas to generate a significant portion of their annual sales dollars. If we want to keep the village’s business districts vibrant, we need to give them our business.
8. Handle the merchandise
See it, smell it, touch it, taste it — before you buy it. Can’t do that online.
9. Support nonprofits
Local business owners donate more to charities than nonlocal owners.
10. Create jobs
Small local businesses are the largest employers nationwide. Since the 1970s, more than 65 percent of new jobs have come from the rise in small business.
11. Admire the scenery
We can’t think of too many places where you can shop and admire the kind of architecture on display in downtown Hinsdale, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
12. Feel the holiday magic
Hinsdale is especially beautiful at this time of year, with the twinkling lights on the trees and the store windows decorated for the holidays. Shop this Saturday and you can also enjoy a visit with Mr. C, cookie decorating and a horse-drawn wagon ride at Burlington Park.
