Unique Motif – NEWSLETTER for the week of 25 AUGUST 2009

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****************** Cut This Coupon *******************
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* 35% OFF – any 2 (two) items from UNIQUE MOTIF
* with 3 (three) receipts from OTHER LOCAL RETAILERS
* receipts must be less than 10 (ten) days old
* not valid from Big Box, franchises, meals, liquor or porn
* valid with receipts from local merchant retail stores only
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* Not valid with other offers – expires 17 September 2009, 6PM
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HELPING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY: The past three weeks, we have been talking about ways to help our local economy. The 3/50 project has a simple formula:
1) Pick three locally owned businesses.
2) Spend $50 per month in locally owned businesses.

DO NOT FEAR – Macy’s, Kohl’s and Wal-Mart are not going to go out of business because you are shopping with local merchants! HOWEVER,  every day hundreds of local merchants fail because local customers are favoring the Big Box stores. We have to put an end to this because these people are our neighbors. Our neighbors are just like us – they don’t have the money, the people or the expertise for fancy glamorous advertising. But they care about you and the community they serve in – can we care about them? I vote yes.

Shop with your local merchants. You will be pleasantly surprised most of your local shops have a very unique flavor and usually prices are comparable to the major “discount” stores. Hey – if the price is high, ask them if they will sell the item for the same price as the big box store (but, please don’t negotiate them down to nothing – our goal is to keep them in business). If you make the effort to support local businesses, you will experience shopping with a diversity of character and know in your heart that you are benefiting your neighbor.

LAST WEEK, I gave several suggestions for three businesses to pick from and support. You may have your own list – please send it to us and we will pass it on to others. We are in this together.

THIS WEEK, Deborah O says, “PET STOP on Government Way (before Wyoming on right side), in Hayden.  It is owned by a great couple named Doug & Mary Vaughn.”

1 – Send us your picks for favorite stores and we will post them.

2 – Post your business on our Greater Hayden community board at Unique Motif.

3 – Working together, we can build a strong local economy.

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A WORD ABOUT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING:  only 120 days left! SHOP EARLY

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HERE ARE 9 REASONS WHY UNIQUE MOTIF IS YOUR STORE!
1) Email Specials Every Week.
2) 5% Bring-A-Friend-Discount (friend must sign up for newsletter).
3) Gift Cards – no fee, no expiration.
4) Discounts for Special Orders .
5) Shipping to Family and Friends.
6) Layaway at no extra charge.
7) New Products all the Time!
8) Online Store – http://uniquemotif.com/store/
9) Clock and Furniture Repair.

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THIS WEEK’S $12.00 GIFT CARD WINNER – the first person to come in and claim it
All $12 Giveaway Cards are valid only with $20 minimum purchase

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GREATER HAYDEN COMMUNITY BUSINESS BOARD
At Unique Motif – post business cards and brochures on the Greater Hayden Community Business Board.

Do you have a business or event you want everyone to know about? Let us know. We will publish this on our website. Please send your article and your image to dean@uniquemotif.com .

Always remember, God watches the sparrow and He cares about you.
Every good thing comes from God.
So be thankful for everything God has given!

Looking forward to seeing you soon! Thank you for shopping with us!
/s/ Dean and Robin

In our last newsletter, we talked about the 3/50 project – a national project designed to support local businesses and helping local economies. Their goal is to give local people tools to help save their small local businesses. It was created to build loyalty and increased revenue for independent, locally owned businesses. The 3/50 project relies on a simple message: “Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy.” (Read more about this project at: http://www.the350project.net/ ).
- Pick three locally owned businesses you’d hate to see disappear, then return to them.
- Spend $50 per month in locally owned businesses. If half the employed U.S. population did so, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue.
- For every $100 spent in locally owned businesses, $68 returns to the local community.  When spent in a big box, chain, or franchise, $43 remains. Purchases made online return nothing to the local economy (unless the online store is local).

So, it is a simple matter, find 3 favorite stores and buy something from them every month. It all adds up if everybody chips in! We hope you will make Unique Motif your favorite store. Buy something every month – refer us to your friends – ask them to sign up for our newsletter. Thank you.

Here are Unique Motif’s current pick for 3 favorite stores:
- Flour Mill (nutritional foods), 88 Commerce Dr, Hayden (behind post office)
- Sower’s Bible Bookstore (books, Bibles, music, decor), 7352 N Government Way, Dalton Gardens
- Calypsos Coffee (coffee, deli, snacks, conference room), 116 E Lakeside Ave, Coeur d’Alene

Here are 3 more:
- Mother’s Cupboard (vitamins and nutrition), 293 W Prairie Shopping Center, Hayden
- Bing Salon (hair, nails, tanning and more handbags), 277 W Prairie Shopping Center, Hayden
- Northwest Pony Express (firearms and estates), 402 W Canfield, Coeur d’Alene

Don’t forget -
UNIQUE MOTIF (home decor, gifts, handbags, flatwallets, clocks) 285 W Prairie Shopping Center, Hayden

Send us your picks for favorite stores and we will post them.

Post your business on our Greater Hayden Community Board.

Working together, we can build a strong local economy.