Kutztown area residents explored downtown merchants and were rewarded with a chocolate treat at each stop in the community’s first Chocolate Crawl Thursday, Sept. 24.
“The whole event was amazing,” said Shawn Brown of Jackie and Daughter Flowers. “It went so much bigger than expected that I was regretting not stocking more treats. It was also nice to see so many university students mingling with the townspeople.”
Ten Kutztown merchants participated in the event, each one donating a gift certificate or prize gift basket. The prizes were awarded to winners of a lottery drawing made up of the tickets of those who had visited all 10 of the participating stores. Two hundred tickets were printed and ran out in the first two hours as the flow of people kept coming, said Jim Springer of Dunkleberger’s Jewelers, manager of the event.
“This event exceeded expectations,” said Springer. “With the support of the Kutztown Community Partnership, it had a positive impact on all the local businesses.”
A participant sampling the flavors at Vynecrest Winery offered the observation that she had lived in Kutztown for three years and didn’t know that the business was here. “They will see me again,” she said.
Participating merchants were Dunkleberger’s Fine Jewelry, Paisley and Company bath products, Jackie and Daughter Flowers, Holy Crepe, Vynecrest Winery, Sorrelli Jewelry, Firefly Bookstore, Adam n’ Eve Boutique, Pop’s Malt Shoppe and Young Ones Music.
Springer is reluctant to commit to an annual event just yet, saying that he will give it another year or two to see if it maintains the momentum and enthusiasm. If it does, he observes, it just might happen every year.