My Shopping Bag
We at Gesture take great delight in doing what our name implies. We provide a "gesture" of giving to our customers and many non-profit organizations throughout our community. We believe that we can have a healthy business while giving to the community. This fresh approach is something we feel strongly about so we have built it into the fabric of our company philosophy.
Instead of spending our entire marketing budget on traditional advertising, Gesture prefers to put that money into our community. We do this in the form of unique merchandise and gift cards donated to silent auction fund raisers and raffles. We also hold monthly events whereby Gesture donates a percentage of sales to non-profit organizations in our area. Traditional advertising is supposed to bring business awareness; we think we can get awareness by donating wonderful things to organizations doing good work in our community. That way we are all part of a circle of giving.
Since opening in September 2007 at The Summit mall in Reno, Nevada, we are happy to say that we have donated merchandise and/or a percentage of sales to dozens of organizations from nationally known research foundations to local schools and dance troops. Starting November 2008, Gesture will be holding month-long charity fundraising events sponsoring various organizations. When you buy an item during the month, a percentage of the net sales will be given to that "Charity of the Month." We are starting this 11 month-a-year program with Make a Wish Foundation.
We want to provide the customer with a distinctive shopping experience and a sense of satisfaction that their purchases are supporting charities and schools in the community.
Press:
Summit store Gesture is known for handmade jewelry, unique handbags, home décor and don't forget their kaleidoscopes.
Most would argue the economy mirrors what we're seeing - a continually shifting jumbled mess which is why Gesture co-owner and store manager Holly Evers says they too are trying to focus their efforts. "Not only is retail affected but everything in the community, so we started thinking about charities, local charities."
Through ties in the community, Evers and her business partner learned virtually everyone is scaling back on donations. So they came up with a win-win idea just in time for the holidays. "Every month we pick a charity, a local charity, and we give 5% of the net sales of the store to that charity."
There's absolutely no catch. "We kind of want to do money in, money back out to the community." This month benefits the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
The American Red Cross, the American Lung Association and the Nevada Basketball Association are also in the lineup.
And the best part is Gesture isn't marking up prices to cover this. "It's just coming out of our bottom line. It's just our gift to the community."
Gesture has only been open for a little more than a year, but they really believe in locals helping locals and they're putting their money where their mouth is.
Link to video: http://www.ktvn.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=3159436&at1=Community&h1=Someone 2 Know: Holly Evers
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