Merchants to Hand Out 'Passports'

The “Passport to Savings” holiday promotion of the Barrington Business Association kicked off Tuesday night, Nov. 8.

Hundreds of “passports” that include an array of coupons from two dozen local merchants were passed out to participating members at the monthly meeting held at Style Unleashed on Waseca Avenue.

The merchants will now start passing out the passports to shoppers.

Each coupon used by shoppers until Barrington’s annual Festival of Lights tree-lighting ceremony gives them a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree. You do not have to attend the festival to win.

The festival runs on Dec. 3 this year starting at 5 pm at the Town Hall with the tree lighting at 6 pm. Trolley rides sponsored by BankNewport will run from 4 to 8 pm, with businesses staying open later that night.

“A route will be mapped out around town,” said Holly Smith, co-director of the business association.

The passports are the prime enticement for shoppers to shop at Barrington merchants this holiday season.

“We hope it keeps people in town instead of going up to Route 6,” said Lois Coppolino, co-director of the business association. “I think people want to shop in town.”

The coupons will be collected up until the tree-lighting festival. The winner will be chosen during the ceremony at a point in the festival still to be determined.

Merchants participating in the “Passport to Savings” promotion include 6 eateries, 11 retail stores and 7 services. The passport is divided into three sections to make it easier to use.

Here are the participating merchants: