BEMIDJI — The Bemidji Downtown Alliance is expecting busy streets Saturday, Nov. 9, for the Sip, Shop, and Stroll event — a chance for anyone to visit various shops and restaurants in downtown Bemidji and win coupons.
Formerly known as Ladies on the Loose, Molly Miller from Patterson’s Clothing and member of the Bemidji Downtown Alliance said, “It's gotten bigger and better, and we've rebranded to kind of include more businesses downtown.”
There are 23 businesses involved with Sip, Shop, and Stroll. Some places are doing special events, and some are highlighting their Christmas items.
There will also be five different giveaways for $100 worth of gift cards in participating businesses. There will be a QR code unique to each business that people can scan to enter the drawings. The drawings will happen the following Monday.
The Bemidji Downtown Alliance is excited to include restaurants this year at the event. It’s expected to be a bustling downtown scene.
“And last year it was big," Miller said. "So, I think it'll be bigger and better this year now that we have more participants.”
Gina Grinde from Four Pines Bookstore said, “We hope that they visit some of the new businesses we have. ... We just want to promote our downtown area, the restaurants and stuff like that so people join as a community together. That's really what we want to bring everybody.”
They also pointed out how walkable almost every stop is from one another.
Miller added, “And I think our downtown right now is so vibrant. Most storefronts are full. We have a lot of retailers, a lot of restaurants ... which makes it fun and have a little more charm.”
Sip, Shop, and Stroll starts at 8 a.m. and goes to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.
The following businesses are participating.
- 218 Gift + Yellow Umbrella
- Ace Hardware
- Bar 209
- Beltrami History Center
- Bemidji Brewing
- Bemidji Woolen Mills
- Chocolates Plus
- Compass Rose
- Fiddlesticks
- Four Pines Bookstore
- Fozzie's Smokin Bar B Q
- Just Dandy
- Keg N' Cork
- Loon Country Arts
- McKenzie Place
- Merry Piglets
- MyBemidji
- Patterson's Clothing
- The Design Store-Carpet One Floor & Home
- Trove & Tea
- Watermark Art Center
- Yarn Cabin
Hear the full conversation with Gina Grinde and Molly Miller above.