Discover the Holiday Vibe in Downtown Green Bay

Written By: Jeff Mirkes, Executive Director, Downtown Green Bay, Inc.ay, Inc.

Historically, a city’s downtown was the hub of business and during the holiday season, there was a special emphasis on retail shopping. Today, big box stores and online shopping have made it too easy to avoid taking the time to shop local. I’m here to ask you to reconsider. Trust, me, you won’t be sorry.

Small Business Saturday is November 30th, and locally, many of our downtown businesses will roll out the retail red carpet with special promotions and offers. When you enter a small business downtown, you will likely meet the owner. You will be greeted warmly and will quickly realize that the person assisting you genuinely cares about your shopping experience. The ambiance, product offerings and high degree of customer service matters to them because they know that in order to develop a lasting, sustainable business, they need to build a loyal customer base. Small businesses like this contribute significantly to the character of a community, provide employment opportunities, and contribute to a strong local economic impact. Throughout the country, Downtown Districts are home to many specialty shops that contribute to a special Downtown vibe and retail experience. We’re thankful that the Downtown Green Bay Districts also feature numerous impressive specialty shops, and we would love to have you discover and patronize them this holiday season.

Holiday events in the Downtown District are also a chance to create a memorable experience with family or friends. Downtown Green Bay, Inc. hosts several key events to help you find your holiday vibe. On December 14th, a Holiday Market will be held at the KI Convention Center with local vendors filling an entire room while providing opportunities to purchase baked goods, local food products and, especially, holiday gifts. While supporting these local entrepreneurs, you’ll not only see friends and neighbors, but you’ll feel the holiday spirit and may even opt to take a photo with Santa! In addition to these events, you can catch a show at the Meyer Theatre, invite your friends to a wine tasting, plan a special holiday dinner at one of our locally-owned and authentic restaurants, or take a stroll along the Fox River to see the CityDeck beautifully lit for the holidays.

This holiday season, I’d ask you to consider an outing to Green Bay’s Downtown District. Be the initiator and surprise your friends or family by introducing them to a restaurant or festive experience, and it just might become a new tradition! Check out DowntownGreenBay.com for details. Happy Holidays!