Brookfield residents can now show their love and support for their local businesses with a new gift card that works exclusively within the village.
The Village of Brookfield’s Economic Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce introduced a Brookfield Gift Card earlier this month.
This Brookfield-exclusive card is offered in a physical, plastic card as well as an electronic version. The card operates like any regular prepaid credit card and is meant to support locally owned businesses.
There is no need to look up which business is participating, because cards are geo-locked and makes it usable in any business in the village. This opens up opportunities for residents to use it for local utility bills, local businesses, restaurants, grocery stores and anywhere else within the village that accepts Mastercard, said Emily Egan, the village’s director of community development.
“We really value our local businesses and there’s a tremendous pride in the community for our local businesses,” Egan said. “[Gift cards are] a unique way to celebrate the business community and provide more options for folks looking for gifts for family and friends but wanting to keep their money local.”
One of the main reasons for buying the gift card is a guarantee that money stays in Brookfield. According to local officials, for every $100 spent locally, approximately $43 to $68 stays local, so the new gift card could help this number multiply, resulting in more money for better wages, more tax revenue, stronger suppliers and service.
Annette Pardun, director of the chamber owns a local, full-line candy store called Fill My Jar that sells handmade and customizable sweets. She said that people are starting to appreciate local businesses more in recent times.
“Smaller communities are starting to see more appreciation for their smaller businesses, having these cards and opportunities like this help those businesses to grow,” Pardun said. “Being a small business myself, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate every customer that walks in the door.”
The Enjoy Brookfield cards are available for purchase online or at the village hall, located at 8820 Brookfield Ave. Buying the cards in person saves people a $5 online processing fee. The cards have a minimum balance of $20 and expire after five years. However, cards cannot be reloaded or reused.
